NASA ponders a Hubble servicing mission or a controlled deorbit
NASA is asking commercial space companies how they could service Hubble—and the clock is ticking. The telescope could re-enter Earth’s atmosphere as early as 2032, with no propulsion system to control its descent. NASA is exploring options that include a controlled deorbit, boosting Hubble to a higher orbit, or extending its working life. Hubble still draws far more research requests than NASA can accommodate, and no replacement is expected before the 2040s. A servicing mission could help keep the observatory working, but it would need to happen by 2032 without damaging the telescope. NASA is seeking information, not proposals, and hasn’t said what it might spend. Could commercial spacecraft give Hubble more time—or will the next mission be its last?