NASA asks commercial space sector to boost Hubble orbit and prevent crash

NASA is seeking proposals from the commercial space industry to help raise the orbit of the Hubble Space Telescope, according to The Verge and Mashable. Gravity is gradually drawing the telescope lower into low-Earth orbit. The Verge reports that Administrator Jared Isaacman stated Hubble still has important science ahead of it. [1][2]

Mashable reports that Hubble is expected to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere in 2033 or 2034 at its current rate of altitude loss. The Verge notes that the telescope will run out of time in the early to mid 2030s without an orbital boost. Mashable adds that any rescue mission would not launch until 2032, though planning must start soon. [1][2]

Hubble was launched into low-Earth orbit in 1990 and has captured images of the solar system for more than three decades, according to Mashable. The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration previously ran the Space Shuttle program from 1981 to 2011 to transport crews and cargo into orbit. [2][6]

A decision on proposals will determine whether private companies can safely adjust the orbit of the telescope. Without an intervention, the spacecraft risks re-entering the atmosphere and crashing to Earth, according to reports by The Verge and Mashable. [1][2]