The American space agency NASA has published a request to commercial companies seeking solutions that could help the Hubble Telescope remain in orbit. The agency is looking for ideas on raising the telescope's orbit or carrying out its servicing, as the object is gradually losing altitude.
The Hubble Telescope has been operating in space for more than 36 years. Over that time it has become one of the most famous instruments in astronomy and has enabled numerous discoveries in the study of the Universe. Despite its age, the spacecraft remains important for scientific observations, so the question of its continued operation has practical significance for astronomers.
The telescope's orbit is gradually decaying due to residual atmosphere. Without intervention, the spacecraft may eventually enter denser layers of the atmosphere, where it would burn up. This risk is what makes the request urgent: NASA wants options that could be implemented before the altitude becomes critical.
The request is addressed to commercial companies with experience in space technologies that can propose specific approaches. These concern either mechanisms that would make it possible to raise the telescope's orbit, or servicing missions that would extend its operation. The agency has not specified which solutions it would consider acceptable, and has only opened the search for proposals. Another option discussed in the materials concerns servicing: that is, repairing or upgrading the spacecraft in orbit, which would allow not only preserving it but also keeping its instruments working.
It is important that the request is a search for ideas rather than an announcement of a finished solution. This means that specific technical schemes, timelines and costs have not yet been determined. Companies that respond will have the opportunity to propose their own approaches, and NASA will assess their feasibility and compliance with the scientific goals of the mission.
The issue is now especially pressing because Hubble remains one of the key observation tools despite its age. The solutions proposed by companies will determine whether its operation can be continued or whether preparations must be made for the end of the mission. For scientists and the broader audience following space research, this is not only a technical question but also a symbolic one: the future ability to observe the Universe with the telescope depends on its fate.