NASA hopes the commercial space industry can help save Hubble
NASA is seeking commercial proposals for a mission that could raise Hubble’s orbit, improve its capabilities or safely dispose of the telescope before atmospheric drag brings it back to Earth.
By StoryBreak
Published November 2, 2026 at 8:01 AM EST
NASA is asking commercial space companies to propose ways to service the Hubble Space Telescope, including missions that could extend its time in orbit.
The agency issued a Request for Information on Oct. 29, 2026, seeking commercial capabilities for possible work on Hubble. NASA identified three broad possibilities: raising the telescope’s orbit, enhancing its capabilities or safely disposing of it.
Hubble does not have a propulsion system to maintain its orbit. Atmospheric drag is gradually lowering the telescope’s orbit, and NASA projects that Hubble could reenter Earth’s atmosphere in 2033 or 2034.
That timeline gives NASA several years to determine whether a commercial mission can be arranged. The agency anticipates that a servicing or disposal mission would need to take place by 2032.
Companies responding to NASA’s request must submit their information by Nov. 30, 2026, at 3 p.m. Eastern time. The request is focused on gathering commercial capabilities for potential future work on the telescope.
Sources & Further Reading
- NASA SciencePrimary source
- The Verge
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