Overview
- NASA issued the exploratory Request for Information on Oct. 29 and is accepting responses through 3 p.m. EST on Nov. 30 to gather commercial concepts for boosting, servicing or disposing of Hubble.
- Agency analysis shows Hubble lacks onboard propulsion and is losing altitude to atmospheric drag, with an uncontrolled reentry projected in 2033–2034 unless a corrective mission flies by about 2032.
- The RFI is not a procurement and carries no funding commitment, but it asks companies to detail launch, spacecraft, mission operations and crewed options so NASA can judge technical feasibility and timelines.
- Options under consideration include a direct orbital boost to raise Hubble’s altitude, robotic or crewed servicing to restore or upgrade systems, or a planned controlled retirement to limit debris and risk.
- The move tests emerging commercial in‑space servicing capabilities and will shape whether industry can extend Hubble’s science, change NASA’s mission plans, or prompt formal work to retire the observatory.