World — NASA said in a statement published on 30 October 2026 that it had issued a request for information the previous day to explore companies’ capabilities to service the Hubble Space Telescope in space. The request examines the possibility of extending the observatory’s scientific life by identifying options the commercial sector could offer.
The options include raising Hubble to a higher orbit, carrying out servicing that enhances its capabilities, or addressing the end of its mission through a controlled atmospheric re-entry or orbital disposal. These are options on which NASA is seeking interest, not missions it has announced are under way.
NASA explains that atmospheric drag is gradually reducing Hubble’s orbital altitude and that the telescope has no propulsion system to maintain its orbit. The agency’s analyses indicate a possible atmospheric re-entry in 2033–2034. This is a forecast, not a settled date.
The request matters because it explores how an existing observatory might continue contributing to science. The step announced so far is to gather information from the commercial sector. The statement does not award a contract or confirm funding for an orbit-raising mission, so a move to implementation remains uncertain.
Sources and verification
NASA Explores Potential Commercial Servicing for Hubble TelescopeThis account is based on NASA’s statement of 30 October about a request issued on 29 October. The underlying request document could not be read, so deadlines and application procedures are not reported. The statement is exploratory; it does not announce a contract award or confirm mission funding. Re-entry timing remains a NASA forecast.