3 November 2026Business

NASA seeks private sector proposals to boost Hubble's orbit

NASA is asking commercial companies whether they can raise Hubble's orbit before it runs out of time in the 2030s.

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The Hubble Space Telescope in orbit, with Earth in the background. — The Hubble Space Telescope in a picture snapped by a Servicing Mission 4 crewmember just after the Space Shuttle Atlantis captured Hubble. NASA

NASA is taking proposals from the private sector to see if anyone can boost the orbit of the Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble is in no immediate danger of burning up in the atmosphere, but its time will run out in the early to mid 2030s unless its orbit is raised.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a post on NASA's site: "Hubble still has important science ahead of it, and we should be looking at every reasonable opportunity to keep it delivering for as long as possible."

The Hubble Space Telescope flight article assembly in a clean room. — The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) flight article assembly with multilayer insulation, high gain anterna, and solar arrays. NASA

He added: "If there are innovative and cost-effective ways to extend the life of an asset already on orbit, we owe it to the American taxpayer and the scientific community to explore them."

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