The lifetime of the Hubble Space Telescope could be extended by up to 20 years if a Dragon spaceship is used.

Space 29 September 2022

There is a person by the name ofLeah Crane.

The Hubble Space Telescope

There is a space telescope.

The space agency NASA.

The Hubble Space Telescope has been sinking towards Earth due to drag from the top of the planet's atmosphere. Since the shuttle's last visit in 2009, it has been steadily decreasing. NASA is studying the possibility of boosting it once again, which could extend its lifespan by decades.

Hubble is less than 540 kilometres above Earth's surface, but it was more than 600 kilometres above the surface when it first started. The observatory isn't on death's door. The Hubble project manager said that the telescope is doing well. If not into the next decade, we expect Hubble to stay operational.

The craft's demise is inevitable because there are no plans to increase the craft's altitude. NASA will have to plan a mission to dispose of it safely by the late 2020s, most likely by lowering it until it splashes down in the ocean That is expected to happen in the late 17th century.

It's possible that Hubble will get a boost. The feasibility study will determine if it is possible for the Dragon spaceship to dock with the Hubble Telescope and push it into a more stable position. If we could get that altitude, we could add up to 20 years to the mission.

It's not clear how such a mission will work. Past servicing missions have been crewed. The astronauts on this potential mission could do the same repairs and upgrades that the Space Shuttle crew did.

Jessica Jensen stated during the press conference that everything is on the table. We want to benefit Hubble, and if we can do some kind of servicing, that's great.

NASA associate administrator Thomas Zurbuchen said in the press conference that it may not be possible to extend the Hubble Space Telescope's life. After 6 months, NASA officials will decide if it is feasible to start planning a mission. We won't last forever, but we're trying to last as long as we can

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