Gravity is a cruel mistress, which slowly drags the famous telescope closer and closer to its final disappearance every day. Hubble is in no immediate danger of burning up in Earth’s atmosphere, but its time will run out in the early to mid-2030s unless its orbit is boosted. Therefore, NASA is accepting proposals from the private sector to see if anyone can save it. “Hubble still has important science ahead of it, and we should look for every reasonable opportunity to keep it running for as long as possible… If there are innovative, cost-effective ways to extend the life of an asset already in orbit, we owe it to the American taxpayer and the scientific community to explore them. Extending Hubble’s life would mean more discoveries, more science, and more opportunities to expand our understanding of the universe.”
