NASA hopes the commercial space industry can help save Hubble

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The Hubble Space Telescope will come crashing to Earth sometime in the 2030s without a boost.

The Hubble Space Telescope will come crashing to Earth sometime in the 2030s without a boost.

by Terrence O'Brien

Nov 1, 2026, 9:09 PM UTC

Image: NASA

Terrence O'Brien

is the Verge’s weekend editor. He’s covered the tech industry for over 18 years and knows a thing or two about synths.

Gravity is a cruel mistress, slowly dragging the famed telescope ever closer to its ultimate demise with every day. Hubble is in no immediate danger of burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere, but its time will run out in the early to mid 2030s unless its orbit is boosted. So NASA is taking proposals from the private sector to see if anyone can save it.

In a post on NASA’s site, Administrator Jared Isaacman said:

“Hubble still has important science ahead of it, and we should be looking at every reasonable opportunity to keep it delivering for as long as possible … If there are innovative and cost-effective ways to extend the life of an asset already on 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.”

The agency will keep the Request for Information open through November 30th at 3 PM ET.

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• Terrence O'Brien