Can Hubble telescope's orbit be raised? Space X to fund study

NASA and SpaceX have agreed to study ways to raise the Hubble Space Telescope's orbital altitude to a higher level so as to extend its life, reports said Thursday.

The plan is to use Space X's Crew Dragon capsule for the purpose, and Elon Musk's space company has agreed to completely fund the study.

The space observatory has been operating since 1990 about 540 kilometers above Earth, in an orbit that slowly decreases over time. Over the years it has delivered very useful images that helped scientists better understand many things including the age of the universe


"A few months ago, SpaceX approached NASA with the idea for a study whether a commercial crew could help reboost our Hubble spacecraft," AFP quoted NASA's science chief Thomas Zurbuchen as telling reporters.

At that distance in space there is still a slight atmospheric drag which slowly over time pulls objects to Earth, and Hubble does not have any on-board propulsion to counter this.

Its height was previously restored many times during Space Shuttle missions, but that programme was retired in 2011. Five Space Shuttle missions have also repaired, upgraded, and replaced systems on the telescope, including all five of the main instruments

Space X's Dragon capsule has been used to ferry astronauts and cargo to and from the International Space Station for NASA, but for such a purpose it may need modifications like a robotic arm.

Hubble is currently forecast to remain operational throughout this decade. it has a 50 percent chance of de-orbiting in 2037, though the exact date of its falling down would depend on how active the Sun is and its impact on the upper atmosphere.

There is no direct replacement to Hubble as an ultraviolet and visible light space telescope, because telescopes designed now work in the infrared bands.