NASA seeks commercial help to extend Hubble’s orbit or guide its descent

NASA has asked commercial space companies for information on options to raise the Hubble Space Telescope’s orbit or direct it to a safe re-entry site. The telescope could re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in 2033 or 2034 at its current rate of altitude loss, while a proposed orbital boost would require raising it by more than 370 miles (600 kilometers).

• NASA issued a request for information seeking commercial proposals to boost Hubble’s orbit or guide it to a safe crash site.· 1 source
• At its current rate of altitude loss, Hubble may re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in 2033 or 2034; another report describes the expected timing as the early to mid-2030s.· 2 sources
• NASA says it wants to explore options to raise Hubble’s orbit while developing a successor flagship mission.· 1 source