Hubble is gradually losing altitude, and NASA is assessing ways to preserve the space telescope or safely end its mission. The telescope is expected to reach a critical altitude of 400 kilometers around 2033 or 2034, when its orbit could no longer be stabilized, according to the source report.
Warnings earlier in 2026 suggested increased solar activity might cause Hubble to reenter Earth’s atmosphere as soon as 2029. Those fears have not been borne out, but the telescope’s descent continues. Hubble was deployed at an altitude of just over 600 kilometers in 1990; the Hubble Reentry Tracker currently places it at just over 469 kilometers.
NASA’s previous servicing missions raised the telescope’s orbit by several kilometers, but those flights relied on Space Shuttles, which are no longer available. The agency is now examining alternatives, with a current solicitation aimed primarily at private companies.
One possible approach would return Hubble to an orbit of about 600 kilometers, potentially allowing it to operate for decades longer. Another would involve a servicing mission to raise its orbit by at least a few kilometers and repair equipment. If neither option is feasible, a mission could instead guide the telescope into a controlled reentry. Hubble has no propulsion system of its own.
Among the concepts proposed in recent years is one from Orbital Robotics, a startup founded by two former Blue Origin engineers. It envisions using an AI-controlled robotic arm, but the company would need partners able to provide a robotic spacecraft. NASA’s assessment is still at an exploratory stage: the solicitation is intended to identify potential companies and evaluate technical and financial options.
Sources: t3n.