SpaceX is working with NASA to explore the possibility of using its Dragon spacecraft to extend the life of the Hubble Space Telescope mission.
SpaceX is working with NASA to explore the possibility of using its Dragon spacecraft to push the Hubble Space Telescope to a higher orbit, thereby extending the life of the mission.
NASA and SpaceX signed an unfunded Space Act Agreement on Thursday, September 22, to study the possibility of such a project, which could pave the way for similar missions involving other space vehicles. The space agency is keen to point out that at this stage they are merely conducting a feasibility study and therefore the mission may not take place, adding that if it does it will come at no cost to the government.
The study is likely to take up to six months, giving those involved plenty of time to work out the technical challenges involved in achieving a successful rendezvous and docking with Hubble, as well as moving it to a more stable orbit.
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Update: SpaceX, NASA to study possible reboost mission to Hubble Space TelescopeMichael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, 'Out There,' was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.
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