NASA is examining whether private space companies could help extend the Hubble Space Telescope’s operational life. After more than 35 years in orbit, Hubble remains a major astronomical observatory, but atmospheric drag is gradually lowering its orbit and could bring it back into Earth’s atmosphere in 2033 or 2034.
On October 29, NASA issued a request for information seeking details about commercial technologies that could service Hubble while it remains in orbit. The agency wants to determine whether newer spacecraft capabilities could keep the observatory operating longer, improve its performance, or help it complete its mission safely.
“There is still important science ahead of Hubble, and we must consider every reasonable opportunity to continue delivering it for as long as possible,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “If there is an innovative, cost-effective way to extend the life of an asset already in orbit, we have an obligation to the American taxpayer and the scientific community to explore it. Extending Hubble’s life means more discoveries, more science, and more opportunities to expand our understanding of the universe.”
NASA considers raising Hubble to a higher orbit
One possibility is to send a spacecraft to boost Hubble into a higher orbit. Such a maneuver could counter the telescope’s gradual loss of altitude and allow it to continue making scientific observations for many more years.
NASA is also seeking information about missions that could maintain the telescope or enhance its capabilities. Alternatively, a future mission could focus on safely decommissioning Hubble after its scientific work ends, either by guiding it through a controlled reentry into Earth’s atmosphere or disposing of it in orbit.
None of these options has been formally approved. NASA is exploring them with commercial companies to understand which technologies are available and whether they could offer practical and affordable solutions.
“Hubble is a national icon that has fundamentally changed the way humanity views space for more than 35 years,” said Nicki Fox, deputy administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The commercial industry has evolved rapidly in recent years, providing new capabilities for in-space satellite acquisition and servicing. Given the time until the expected Hubble reentry, we hope to explore a wide range of possibilities for pushing Hubble to higher orbits while developing a follow-on flagship mission.”
Companies interested in participating can review the NASA Online Information Request. The agency is accepting responses until Monday, November 30th at 3pm EST.
Why Hubble could fall to Earth by 2034
Hubble continues to operate in space, but its orbit is gradually shrinking. The telescope is in low Earth orbit, where the small amount of atmosphere at that altitude creates drag and slowly reduces the spacecraft’s altitude.
Although Hubble is hundreds of miles above Earth, the region is not completely free of atmospheric gas. Over time, that gas produces resistance as the telescope moves through it, causing Hubble to lose altitude and eventually descend into denser layers of the atmosphere.
Hubble has no propulsion system that can periodically raise its orbit. Without external assistance, its declining trajectory cannot be reversed.
NASA’s current analysis suggests that Hubble will probably reenter Earth’s atmosphere sometime between 2033 and 2034. To prevent that outcome with an orbital boost, NASA estimates that a mission would need to be carried out by 2032.
That schedule leaves a limited amount of time to assess possible solutions, develop a mission and complete the work before the telescope descends too far.
Extending Hubble’s legacy of space discoveries
Since beginning operations more than 30 years ago, Hubble has become one of the most influential scientific observatories ever launched. Its observations have reshaped astronomers’ understanding of the universe, and the telescope continues to produce discoveries that advance research across many areas of astronomy.
Hubble is also the product of a long-standing partnership between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency).
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, oversees the telescope and its mission operations, with additional operational support from Denver-based Lockheed Martin Space.
Scientific operations are conducted by the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Astronomical Research on behalf of NASA.
As commercial spaceflight technology advances, NASA is evaluating whether Hubble could benefit from capabilities that were unavailable when the telescope was designed. If a mission to raise its orbit and strengthen its systems succeeds, the historic observatory could continue exploring the universe beyond its currently predicted orbital lifetime.
Source: www.sciencedaily.com
