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NASA Hubble Space Telescope orbital maintenance efforts

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2026-11-04 22:00 UTC → 2026-11-05 10:22 UTC · added ~~removed~~

NASA has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to the commercial aerospace industry to explore options for the Hubble Space Telescope. Due to the retirement of the Space Shuttle fleet, the observatory lacks an onboard propulsion system to counter atmospheric drag, causing its altitude to steadily decay. Updated NASA analysis predicts a 10% probability of atmospheric reentry by September 2032 and a 50% probability by December 2033, with a general reentry window expected between 2033 and 2034. The agency is seeking proposals for three primary mission concepts: boosting the telescope to a higher altitude of at least 373 miles (600 km), performing hardware servicing to enhance performance, or executing a controlled atmospheric reentry for safe disposal. Any proposed mission must be completed by 2032 to prevent uncontrolled descent. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the agency is duty-bound to explore cost-effective ways to extend the life of the orbital asset for the benefit of taxpayers and the scientific community. Nicky Fox, leader of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, noted that the rapid evolution of the private space sector provides new capabilities for in-space satellite capture and servicing that were not available during previous shuttle-era missions. Recent updates clarify that NASA is specifically seeking proposals for an entirely robotic mission. The agency has specified that no astronauts or Crew Dragon vehicles will be used for this operation, following previously abandoned plans for a service mission involving SpaceX hardware. Responses to the RFI are due by November 30, 2026. Since its 1990 launch, Hubble has contributed to over 20,000 scientific papers, and NASA views the telescope as vital for long-term data continuity alongside newer observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope.

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