A millionaire wished to preserve the Hubble Telescope; this is the reason NASA graciously refused

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The Hubble Space Telescope was launched into the brutal and unforgiving Earth orbit thirty-four years ago. Now, it sits approximately 320 miles (515 kilometers) above Earth, exposing itself to solar radiation, sub-freezing temperatures, and micrometeoroid strikes all the while providing us with amazing, paradigm-shifting views of the cosmos.

It wears on you after thirty-four years of that kind of strain. NASA revealed earlier this week (June 4) that one of the three gyroscopes still in place on the Hubble Space Telescope, which aids scientists in ensuring the spacecraft is pointed in the right direction, has failed. With the other functional gyro kept in reserve, the observatory will now operate in single-gyroscope mode, giving it a fallback when necessary. With this strategy, Hubble should survive until the middle of the 1930s. However, what would occur next? Well, maybe Hubble’s demise. Maybe not.

The fact is, the atmospheric drag of our planet is causing Hubble’s orbit to gradually decrease over time. In addition, it’s just becoming older, and aging brings on some fatigue. This shows that Hubble has two options for the future. On the one hand, researchers can use the observatory’s gradual descent to execute a controlled reentry, during which the majority of the spacecraft—though not all of them—will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.

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Alternatively, Hubble can be propelled to a higher orbit by scientists, where it can rest for a while. This could give them time to determine whether or not a more comprehensive servicing mission is feasible, much like in the past. This takes us to the billionaire who has a big idea.

In 2022, Jared Isaacman—who led and provided funding for the Inspiration4 all-civilian private space launch and hopes to accomplish the same with his Polaris program—announced a plan to work with SpaceX on a commercial mission to save Hubble. It was related to NASA’s request that private businesses come up with concepts on how to proceed with the Hubble boosting path. In summary, NASA considered and debated the idea extensively—including conducting a multi-month feasibility study—but ultimately decided against moving further with it.

position right now is that, after exploring the current commercial capabilities, we are not going to pursue a reboost.” “The NASA team, SpaceX and Polaris program, as well as our other possible partners, are greatly appreciated for their thorough analysis. It has undoubtedly improved our understanding of the factors to be taken into account while creating upcoming commercial relaunch missions.”