NASA is asking the commercial space industry for ideas on how to keep the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit, with the agency warning that the observatory will fall back to Earth in the 2030s if nothing is done. The agency has opened a Request for Information to collect proposals from the private sector, and it will accept submissions through November 30th at 3 PM ET.
According to NASA, Hubble faces no immediate risk of burning up in the Earth's atmosphere, but its orbit will decay enough that its time runs out in the early to mid 2030s unless that orbit is boosted. The telescope is being pulled steadily closer to its demise by gravity with each passing day.
NASA framed the outreach as an effort to protect an asset already in space. The agency said Hubble still has important science ahead of it and that it should examine every reasonable opportunity to keep the telescope delivering for as long as possible. It also argued that if innovative and cost-effective ways exist to extend the life of something already on orbit, the agency owes it to the American taxpayer and the scientific community to explore them.
The agency tied the effort to the scientific return it expects from the telescope. In NASA's view, extending Hubble's life would mean more discoveries, more science, and more chances to expand understanding of the universe.
The request puts the decision in front of private industry rather than NASA alone. Any company that believes it can raise the telescope's orbit has until the November 30th deadline to submit a proposal.
Hubble's orbital decay is a long-running consequence of gravity rather than a sudden failure. Without a boost, the telescope's reentry would occur in the 2030s, a timeline NASA is now seeking outside help to change.
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