Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

NASA wants ideas to boost Hubble Space Telescope into a higher orbit with private spaceships
space.com ^ | Robert Lea p

Posted on 12/30/2022 8:52:55 AM PST by BenLurkin

On Dec. 22, the space agency issued a Request for Information regarding a non-exclusive SpaceX study earlier this year that suggested how the Hubble Space Telescope could be "reboosted" into a higher orbit.

Since the start of Hubble's operations in 1990, the orbit of the space telescope 335 miles (540 kilometers) above Earth has been decaying. Reboosting it to an orbit that is both higher and more stable could add years to Hubble’s operating lifetime delaying the point at which NASA must deorbit or dispose of the telescope.

During its five space shuttle missions to the service Hubble, NASA used the shuttle to reboost the telescope. The last shuttle servicing mission to Hubble was in 2009. NASA retired its shuttle fleet in 2011.

The idea to raise Hubble to a higher orbit using a Dragon spacecraft at no cost to the government was first developed between SpaceX and Polaris Program, a private program of space missions using SpaceX's Dragon and Starship vehicles funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman. The unfunded agreement between SpaceX and NASA to study the feasibility of reboosting Hubble was then signed in September 2022.

The SpaceX study was designed to help NASA, which currently has no plans to operate or fund a new Hubble servicing mission, determine the commercial possibility of such a mission. The SpaceX study also aimed to lay out the technical challenges of such a servicing endeavor.

(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy
KEYWORDS: hubble; nasa; orbit; spacetelescope
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-28 next last

1 posted on 12/30/2022 8:52:55 AM PST by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Right now with all the hate directed toward all things Musk, the Starship will be relegated to the far future since the program was based on ‘test to failure’ model, now limited to one maybe test flight a year.

Once Bezos’ Blue Horizons catches up, all things Space X and Starship will be cancelled as things sit now.


2 posted on 12/30/2022 9:00:37 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

How could boosting the orbit make a difference when you are looking at stuff Light Years away. I don’t understand how even a million mile boost would make a difference.


3 posted on 12/30/2022 9:05:41 AM PST by devane617 (Discipline Is Reliable, Motivation Is Fleeting..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Strap on a JTOW..................


4 posted on 12/30/2022 9:07:55 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: devane617

Orbits eventually decay. Boosting the orbit will keep it up longer.


5 posted on 12/30/2022 9:08:42 AM PST by kosciusko51
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
How could boosting the orbit make a difference when you are looking at stuff Light Years away.

It's not about what it can see; it's about keeping it far out there and alive and working, for a long period of time. A decaying orbit means that it will eventually have to be decommissioned and de-orbited and 'destroyed'.
6 posted on 12/30/2022 9:10:35 AM PST by adorno
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

How much do we pay NASA to default to SpaceX for anything that has to reach orbit? Elon is at least a fair negotiator which is evident by his enormously vast wealth and lack of prison time.


7 posted on 12/30/2022 9:11:41 AM PST by Delta 21 (MAGA Republican is my pronoun.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kosciusko51

And we are all fans of keeping up longer.


8 posted on 12/30/2022 9:12:43 AM PST by Delta 21 (MAGA Republican is my pronoun.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Here’s one idea, how about you hire non woke engineers who care about competently doing their jobs and don’t complain about how unfair they are being treated or how oppressed they are.


9 posted on 12/30/2022 9:14:16 AM PST by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Delta 21

I would not say I’m a fan, but if the cost is reasonable, why not keep it going?


10 posted on 12/30/2022 9:14:47 AM PST by kosciusko51
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: No name given

Most of the woke people in the space industry are not engineers. PR, HR, etc.


11 posted on 12/30/2022 9:17:38 AM PST by kosciusko51
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Musk used ion thrusters on his Starlink satellites. Perhaps he can get one on the Hubble so it doesn’t need to be boosted so often?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5MEPWsdo-UE


12 posted on 12/30/2022 9:20:40 AM PST by SauronOfMordor (The rot of all principle begins with a single compromise.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: devane617

Light Years away. I don’t understand how even a million mile boost would make a difference.
_________________

Hubble is orbiting about 332 miles above the Earth and it is slowly descending! Soon will be too low and eventually crash land.
Beefing up Hubble will not change its optical results, but will add many years to its life.


13 posted on 12/30/2022 9:23:45 AM PST by AZJeep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: kosciusko51

8 was a pun.

Im all for keeping up there as long as possible and I wouldnt trust NASA to do it with anyone else but Musk. Bezos and his “rockets” are joke.


14 posted on 12/30/2022 9:44:39 AM PST by Delta 21 (MAGA Republican is my pronoun.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Delta 21

Ah, I wasn’t thinking about that...


15 posted on 12/30/2022 9:48:07 AM PST by kosciusko51
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: SauronOfMordor

That would be great. I’m all for keeping Hubble up there if it’s possible.


16 posted on 12/30/2022 9:55:12 AM PST by telescope115 (Proud member of the ANTIFAuci movement. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

but you don’t get a cent unless you are Mega Diverse


17 posted on 12/30/2022 10:26:07 AM PST by butlerweave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kosciusko51
The mission to "keep it up longer" will be called:

Operation Viagra....

18 posted on 12/30/2022 10:39:36 AM PST by G Larry ( "woke" means 'stupid enough to fall for the promotion of every human weakness into a virtue')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Use Brandon, he is loaded with hot air!


19 posted on 12/30/2022 10:39:53 AM PST by Muhammy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PIF
"Once Bezos’ Blue Horizons catches up, all things Space X and Starship will be canceled as things sit now."

All part of the ongoing communist purge...
In addition, "revenge" for twitter's "theft" by an American capitalist will play a role...
The evil & nastiness of our communist masters has absolutely no limits...

20 posted on 12/30/2022 11:24:24 AM PST by SuperLuminal (Where is the next Sam Adams when we so desperatly need him)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-28 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson