WASHINGTON — Latest Hubble Incident Sparks NASA Consideration for Private Space Mission
Recently, the Hubble Space Telescope experienced an issue resulting in discussions over NASA’s potential approval of a private mission to potentially repair the spacecraft, triggering more conversations about the matter among agents of the International Space Center.
On November 29, NASA revealed that Hubble was placed into a safe mode due to a malfunction with one of its three working gyroscopes. This issue arose after one gyro provided NASA with flawed readings on November 19, subsequently triggering a safe mode. Operations were temporarily restored following these setbacks, but the problems resurfaced on November 21 and 23, compelling NASA’s engineers to commence an in-depth study to ascertain and rectify the underlying problem. As a result, NASA stated that the duration of the hiatus remains uncertain. Although Hubble can continue functioning with a single gyro, the incident has resulted in productivity loss, particularly in relation to certain solar system observations the telescope is unable to undertake.
Originally fitted with six gyros during the fifth and final shuttle servicing mission in 2009, Hubble has since experienced three gyroscope malfunctions, raising concerns over its extended use. This saga prompted Elon Musk’s SpaceX program to express their readiness to assist NASA with a privately-initiated mission to restore and potentially refurbish Hubble by using SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. This study undertaken in September 2022 aimed to assess the validity and feasibility of conducting a private mission to service Hubble. Jared Isaacman, the entrepreneur behind SpaceX’s Polaris program, previously suggested that SpaceX would consider the Hubble mission as the second in a series of interlinked Polaris missions.
Following the completion of the study in question, no concrete details have been disclosed by either SpaceX or NASA. In unspecified social media posts by Isaacman, he hinted about the feasibility of a reboost and servicing mission, citing the decision to partake in such a private mission as an “easy risk/reward decision.” This spurred other companies to respond to the need, including satellite servicing company Astroscale and in-space transportation company Momentus. However, all involved parties are yet to disclose the details or next steps of their expertise.
NASA and SpaceX are not the only options for potentially servicing Hubble, as the space agency invited eight different companies, including SpaceX, to submit proposals for commercial missions to boost Hubble’s capabilities. Several private space companies, including Astroscale and Momentus, submitted responses to this request. Although NASA has indicated that it may not fund such missions, the opportunity is still open for these companies to showcase their capabilities to provide satellite servicing.
Despite this, many people are skeptical about the feasibility related to repairing and refurbishing Hubble due to the complexities involved. Industry insiders have expressed different opinions, citing concerns about the cost and the need for an increase in operating budget for Hubble, currently under scrutiny for potential fiscal budget limitations.
