NASA explores private mission to extend the life of the Hubble telescope

NASA has begun exploring the possibility of a commercial servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. On October 29, 2026, the agency issued a request for information from companies to assess available technologies and services. This is not a contract award, and no new mission has been announced.

Options under consideration include boosting the telescope into a higher orbit, servicing it to enhance its capabilities, and ensuring a safe, controlled re-entry or disposal at the end of its operational life.

The reason is the gradual decline in Hubble's orbit due to drag from Earth's thin upper atmosphere. Hubble has no propulsion system to maintain its altitude, and NASA's current analysis suggests that it could re-enter the atmosphere around 2033–2034. If a servicing mission takes place, the agency anticipates that it would need to happen by 2032.

Companies may express their interest until November 30, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. US Eastern Standard Time. The goal is to compare practical options and potential costs before deciding whether further action is warranted.

The telescope has been operating since 1990 and is a joint project of NASA and the European Space Agency. This new assessment aims to preserve its scientific observations for as long as possible without promising a successful rescue mission in advance.

Source and archival photograph

Source: NASA, October 30, 2026.

Photo: NASA / Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Archival image from February 1997; not a photo of a new mission.