NASA seeks bids to lift Hubble to 373 miles by 2032

NASA released a Request For Information on Thursday asking commercial companies to propose methods for rescuing the Hubble Space Telescope. The agency is soliciting ideas for reboosting the observatory, providing additional servicing, or guiding it to a controlled disposal. Responses to the document are due by November 30.

Hubble has operated in orbit for 36 years. The Space Shuttle Columbia last raised its orbit in 2002. The final shuttle servicing mission in 2009 did not increase the telescope's altitude. After the shuttle fleet retired in 2011, Hubble began losing height without a means to stop the decay.

The agency specifies that any winning contractor must capture the telescope and boost it to an altitude of at least 373 miles, or 600 kilometers. Alternatively, the proposal must detail how to enhance the telescope's performance or guide it to a safe reentry. NASA stated in the document that the mission must not harm the observatory and is expected to occur by 2032.

The RFI requires the contractor to provide the launch vehicle, the servicing spacecraft, and mission operations. The company would also supply a crew if the mission design requires one.

Hubble currently orbits at approximately 292 miles, or 470 kilometers, above Earth. It has lost that altitude over the past 24 years. The telescope lacks onboard propulsion, so it cannot adjust its own trajectory. Orbital dynamicists predict that Hubble will reenter the atmosphere in 2033 or 2034 without intervention, though solar activity could shift that timeline.

NASA is not committing to purchase a rescue mission at this stage. Officials want to identify which companies are interested, estimate the costs, and determine which firms have the capability to reach the telescope before it burns up. A reboost to the required 373-mile altitude would likely extend Hubble's operational life by at least 25 years.