Since Hubble Space Telescope was launched on April 24, 1990, it has overcome many challenges and performed innumerable scientific observations that revolutionized humanity's understanding of the universe. However, it has been used for more than three decades now and it has slowly fallen lower and lower in orbit.
In this handout from NASA, the Hubble Space Telescope is grappled to Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-125 by the shuttle's Canadian-built remote manipulator system May 13, 2009 in Space.
Why Is It An Issue?
Despite its age, it has still many years of usefulness remaining if NASA could save it, BGR reports. As the space telescope moves lower, it has also interfered with its observations and scientists are calling for its immediate remedy.
Hubble's slow descent to Earth is not the first time recorded. The space telescope once relied on spacecraft to come by to maintain it, offer updates, and even assist adjust its orbit back up to a higher orbital track. Unfortunately, Hubble's orbit has not received much assistance in a long time; and as a result, it is dropping further than it has ever been.
Typically, it would not be a problem because the telescope was previously scheduled to be dismantled and no longer utilized. Nonetheless, Hubble continues to observe the cosmos.
When paired with data from James Webb Space Telescope, the two space telescopes give an amazing view of space beyond Earth. Yet, the quality of those observations is deteriorating; and if it does not change Hubble's orbit, it will only get worse.
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NASA Partners With SpaceX
In 2022, NASA announced its partnership with SpaceX in studying the use of the Dragon spacecraft to boost Hubble Space Telescope into a higher orbit. As per Business Standard, NASA and SpaceX signed a Space Act Agreement to look into the proposed method.
The deal between NASA and SpaceX called for collaborating on the feasibility of such a mission although the latter will be funding its own participation in the study.
SpaceX vice president of customer operations and integration Jessica Jensen said that the company has a lot of experience in successfully completing the project as evidenced by its mission docking with the International Space Station. This time, they aim to use that experience as a foundation for the proposed project.
The American space agency said that it was SpaceX who approached them with the idea of using the Dragon spacecraft to boost Hubble's orbit. SpaceX said that there is a possibility of using a crewed mission for the flight, although a crew may not be needed depending on what the study reveals.
Moreover, both NASA and SpaceX have hinted at the possibility of billionaire Jared Isaacman's involvement in the mission if it gets funded soon. Isaacman has expressed to SpaceX his intention to perform a series of human spaceflight missions called Polaris Dawn with a prospected flight date this year, which includes a spacewalk with SpaceX's newly designed spacesuit.
Due to that, some believe that the Polaris Dawn mission might be used for the Hubble mission. However, Isaacman neither denied nor confirmed speculations.
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