NASA and Space X to consider 'Hubble' Space Telescope's orbital elevation mission

[▲TheHubbleSpaceTelescopetakenfromthespaceshuttleAtlantisTakenonMay192009(Credit:NASA)】

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on September 29 local time,Investigate the feasibility of a mission to raise the orbital altitude of the ‘Hubble’ space telescopeannounced that an agreement to do so was signed on September 22 with SpaceX.

The mission was proposed by SpaceX in collaboration with the private sector Polaris program, according to NASA.The Polaris program is for businessmenJared IsaacmanA project led by SpaceX’s manned spacecraft“Crew Dragon”commercial spaceflight missions using“Polaris Dawn”is planned to be implemented after March 2023. The mission will include the first extravehicular activity in the private sector.

[▲ Images of the private space flight mission “Polaris Dawn” (Credit: Polaris Project)]

connection:Space X’s “Crew Dragon” to carry out the first private extravehicular activity, space flight mission “Polaris” announced

The SpaceX and Polaris programs collected technical data from the Dragon spacecraft and the Hubble Space Telescope,secure rendezvousordocking、Transfer to higher orbitsuch asConsider technical issuesTo do. The investigation is expected to take up to six months.

In the agreement signed this time, NASA’s implementation of service missions, funding, competition opportunities, etc. are not planned, and it is said that it is not an exclusive effort. NASASimilar surveys may be proposed by companies outside of the SpaceX and Polaris programsis referring to

[▲Themannedspacecraft”CrewDragon”EndeavorapproachingtheInternationalSpaceStationTakenonApril242021(Credit:NASA)】

Hubble Space Telescope launched in April 1990is a low earth orbitOrbiting for over 32 yearsI keep doing it.Space shuttle “Discovery”When it was released from , the altitude was about 615 km, but in low earth orbit, the altitude gradually decreases due to the resistance of the rarefied atmosphere, so the current Hubble Space Telescope isHeight about 540kmis flying

In the near future, the Hubble Space Telescope will inevitably reenter the atmosphere, and NASAMid to late 2030sI predict. However, if we can raise it to a more stable altitude than now,Potential for several more years of operationThere seems to be Also, NASA plans to have the Hubble Space Telescope, which has finished its operation, be controlled-dropped or raised to a higher altitude and continue to fly for several decades, but in order to do so, it will provide propulsion to the Hubble Space Telescope in some way. I have to.

[▲AstronautsinstallingtheACSduringtheSTS-109missionontheSpaceShuttleColumbia(Credit:NASA)]

The Hubble Space Telescope was operated by the Space Shuttle from 1993 to 2009.5 service missionsis receivingstill used for observation“Advanced camera for comet hunting observation (ACS)”or“Wide field camera 3 (WFC3)”are both installed on service missions. However, since the space shuttle retired in 2011, it has been impossible to carry out service missions for the Hubble Space Telescope.

connection:It’s been 20 years since the Hubble Space Telescope’s camera “ACS” was installed

Even if maintenance like the Space Shuttle, which was equipped with a vast cargo compartment and robot arm, cannot be performed, if it is judged that Crew Dragon can raise the orbital altitude, a new service mission of the Hubble Space Telescope will be realized. maybe.

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