With the Hubble Space Telescope predicted to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere sometime in the 2030s, American space agency NASA is seeking ideas for how to rescue it from doom.
In a Request For Information (RFI) released a few days ago, the agency put out an ask to see if commercial companies had ideas on whether they can do any of the following: capture and boost Hubble to a minimum altitude of 373 miles, enhance its performance, or guide Hubble to a controlled re-entry.
For any companies with the know-how and capacity to accomplish any of those tasks, NASA has two requirements. The first is that the mission cannot harm Hubble, while the second is that it must be accomplished by 2032.
In addition, the company would be responsible for mission operations, the servicing spacecraft itself, the launch vehicle, and crew, if they’re needed for the mission.
This does not mean NASA is set on purchasing a rescue mission. Instead, the agency wants to know who would be interested, how much it would cost, and whether any company actually has a realistic chance of preventing Hubble from falling out of orbit and burning up on re-entry.
Companies have until November 30 to reply to the RFI.
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