NASA and SpaceX will investigate whether it is possible to extend the life of the Hubble Space Telescope by using a SpaceX Dragon probe to propel it into a higher orbit.
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The Hubble Space Telescope left Earth 32 years ago and was recently succeeded by the more powerful James Webb Space Telescope. But Hubble's life isn't over—at least not yet.
NASA and SpaceX signed the 'Space Act Agreement' on Thursday, a deal that imposes no cost on the US government , but could, if the study favors it, use a privately funded SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to do the job .
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The idea is to attach Dragon to Hubble and move it into a more stable orbit. The study is a collaboration with the Polaris Program, a privately funded initiative of billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman that focuses on human space missions.
Hubble's orbit is 335 miles above Earth, just above the atmosphere, but that's been degrading over time. Reboosting Hubble to a higher, more stable orbit could add years to its operational life, NASA said. After Hubble is decommissioned, NASA plans to either put the satellite into orbit or scrap it.
The debris is a concern for NASA, which is supporting several studies to understand the impact of orbital debris as low Earth orbit (LEO) becomes increasingly filled with active satellites, rocks, old rocket stages and deliberately exploded satellites.
The FCC is so concerned about the volume of space junk that yesterday it passed a new five-year law requiring operators to responsibly decommission satellites from LEO within five years of completing a mission – the current law is 25 years.
Based on Hubble's current orbital decline, NASA believes it will be decommissioned by 2030. However, at a higher altitude the space telescope could survive for another 15 to 20 years.
See also: NASA's Perseverance Rover found organic matter in rock
The cost issue is a pressing one for NASA, whose Artemis I that aims to restart human exploration of the Moon around 2024 has so far cost $40 billion.
Information source: zdnet.com
