Hubble in 1997 (Photo : NASA)
Lost in the euphoria surrounding the 25th anniversary in space of the Hubble Space Telescope last April 24 is the stark reality this iconic piece of machinery will become obsolete in five years and be destroyed as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere in 2037 at the latest.
Hubble is in its last legs simply because the technology that powers it was developed in the 1980s. The Earth's gravity is also pulling Hubble towards its doom.
There will be no more Space Shuttle servicing missions to upgrade Hubble because the Space Shuttle program was shut down in 2011. This means Hubble is on its way to becoming a storied derelict orbiting 560 kilometers above the Earth every 90 minutes until it burns-up in the atmosphere.
Its successor, the much anticipated James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), will be launched into orbit in October 2018.
NASA, however, plans to keep Hubble working until it can no longer do so.
"Our goal is to help Hubble be as productive as long as possible, hopefully through 2020 to ensure a few years of overlap with the James Webb Space Telescope", said Heidi Hammel who worked closely with Hubble and is now one of the key scientists involved with the JWST.
"In the eventuality that instruments or spacecraft do begin to fail (and they will-space is a harsh environment), our community will certainly have to discuss next steps for this beloved facility. Its disposition has to be balanced with the vibrant new missions we hope to launch. Our goal is to enable the best astronomical science."
Hammel said that after Hubble becomes non-functional and the decision is made to deorbit Hubble, "then I hope to be on a cruise ship to watch it return to Earth with a cadre of fellow Hubble Huggers, to celebrate the telescope's long life and many wonderful achievements".
NASA said Hubble's main equipment and instruments continue to function well and could have another five years of life left in them.
Hubble, however, is being inexorably pulled down from its low Earth orbit by gravity. The newest projections as to when re-entry will destroy Hubble range from 2024 to 2037, according to the Christian Science Monitor.
But Hubble might also be saved from a fiery death since it's been adapted to allow it to be boosted into a higher orbit where it could effectively be parked forever. During the last Hubble servicing mission in 2009, an astronaut attached a grappling ring to the back end of the telescope to allow a robotic satellite or another spacecraft to grab it.
This option, however, hinges on Congress approving money for this expensive graveyard mission.
