NASA Seeks Industry Proposals to Reboost, Service or Deorbit Hubble by 2032
By Alise Fisher · · TexaHub · Space
NASA issued a request for information on Oct. 29 seeking commercial options to boost the Hubble Space Telescope to a higher orbit, service it, or dispose of it safely. Hubble is predicted to reenter in 2033 to 2034, and responses are due Nov. 30.
Request for Information
NASA issued a request for information on Oct. 29 asking industry for in-space servicing options for the Hubble Space Telescope. It wants commercial interest in three areas: boosting the telescope to a higher altitude to extend its science lifetime, servicing it to improve its capabilities, and carrying out a controlled reentry or other orbital disposal at the end of the mission. Responses are due by 3 p.m. EST on Nov. 30. [1]
Hubble has no propulsion system and loses altitude over time because of atmospheric drag. NASA's analysis predicts reentry in 2033 to 2034, so the agency expects any mission would have to fly by 2032. Administrator Jared Isaacman said Hubble "still has important science ahead of it." [1]
Earlier Reboost Study
NASA examined the idea before through an unfunded Space Act Agreement with SpaceX, proposed with the Polaris Program, to study whether a Dragon spacecraft could raise Hubble's orbit of about 335 miles. At the time, NASA said it had no plans to conduct or fund a servicing mission. [2]
Sources
[1] NASA Explores Potential Commercial Servicing for Hubble Telescope — NASA
[2] NASA, SpaceX to Study Hubble Telescope Reboost Possibility — NASA