Iconic Hubble Telescope Could Be Dead in 3 Years
Gizmodo••science
Key Points:
- The Hubble Space Telescope, launched in 1990, has revolutionized our understanding of the universe but is now descending toward Earth due to atmospheric drag, with scientists estimating reentry between 2029 and 2033.
- Increased solar activity has accelerated Hubble's orbital decay, leading to an earlier-than-expected reentry unless NASA conducts a reboost mission, which currently has no announced plans.
- Hubble has made approximately 1.7 million observations, including iconic images like the Hubble Deep Field and the Pillars of Creation, significantly advancing knowledge of cosmic phenomena such as dark energy and black holes.
- Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is funding a privately financed space telescope named Lazuli, intended as a modern successor
