![]() So naturally, NASA wants to extend its life. The James Webb Space Telescope-launched in December by NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency-is larger and more powerful than Hubble. But the original space telescope is still capturing the universe in high detail, providing astronomers with valuable insights. Kober (NASA Goddard/Catholic University of America) Foley (University of California - Santa Cruz) Image processing: G. They’ll also study whether it makes sense to send a crew aboard Dragon, which can hold seven people, to help service the aging observatory.Ī recent Hubble Space Telescope image of the galaxy NGC 1961Ĭourtesy of NASA, ESA, J. As part of the six-month investigation, scientists will examine whether SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft could help lift Hubble’s orbit, potentially docking with the telescope, in an attempt to prolong its life. That’s an idea that NASA and Elon Musk’s SpaceX are exploring through a joint study they launched last week.įor now, the space agency and the private company are simply considering whether a partnership to raise Hubble to a more stable orbit makes sense. ![]() And, by some time in the mid- to late 2030s, it could drop so much that it re-enters Earth’s atmosphere.īut-just maybe-someone or something could help give it a boost back up to its initial altitude of 373 miles. The 32-year-old Hubble Space Telescope isn’t likely to fall out of the sky any time soon, but the high-tech device is slowly losing altitude because of normal atmospheric drag.
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