Thirty-five years young: NASA asks industry how to give Hubble a longer life in orbit

The Hubble Space Telescope has been opening humanity's eyes for more than 35 years, but it has no engine of its own, and the thin upper atmosphere is slowly pulling it down — without help, it is expected to fall back to Earth around 2033 or 2034. NASA is not ready to say goodbye. The agency has formally asked private companies for their best ideas to keep Hubble working: lifting it to a higher orbit, servicing it in space to maintain or improve its instruments, and, one day, guiding it to a safe, controlled end. Any mission to lift Hubble would need to fly by 2032, so NASA is asking now, while there is still time to act. Companies have until November 30 to respond. If a good plan emerges, the most beloved telescope ever built could keep discovering for years longer than anyone expected.