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SpaceX wants to boost Hubble Space Telescope’s orbit with Dragon spacecraft

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3 years ago

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NASA and SpaceX have signed a Space Act Agreement to study the feasibility of boosting the orbit of the iconic Hubble Space Telescope, potentially ensuring that the highly successful observatory will remain operable well into the middle of this century.

Thanks to three servicing missions completed in the 1990s and 2000s, Hubble remains highly productive more than 32 years after its launch. NASA believes that that will remain the case until at least the late 2020s or 2030s. However, many components of the telescope have spent decades in the unforgiving environment of space, raising unsurprising concerns about their longevity.

More importantly, the inexorable march of time, gravity, and Earth’s atmosphere mean that Hubble is guaranteed to eventually reenter that atmosphere and burn up without intervention. That demise could come as early as the mid-2030s, but SpaceX thinks it could help extend the telescope’s viability into the 2050s.

NASA and SpaceX will spend the next six or so months discussing whether it’s possible to use Dragon to boost the telescope’s orbit back to a nominal 600 kilometers (~372 mi). Both parties say that the agreement will also investigate the possibility of Dragon servicing missions, which could be even more significant for Hubble. While a boost that large would likely keep it in orbit for decades to come, there’s no guarantee the telescope would remain functional to take full advantage of the extra time it would have.

During the fifth and final Space Shuttle servicing mission, NASA astronauts installed a docking adapter (Soft Capture Mechanism) on the Hubble Telescope. Although no concrete plans existed for any additional servicing missions, the forward-facing installation of that adapter has made this feasibility study possible.

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In theory, that docking adapter could make boosting Hubble’s orbit far more feasible, safe, and affordable than a Shuttle-style crewed servicing mission. SpaceX’s Cargo Dragon 2 spacecraft has the same autonomous docking capabilities its crewed sibling has and costs less to launch and operate, so it’s not inconceivable that an uncrewed Dragon could autonomously dock with Hubble and boost its orbit. Jessica Jensen, SpaceX’s Vice President of Customer Operations and Integration, says that an uncrewed option will be studied alongside crewed servicing and orbit-boost alternatives.

Hubble’s docking adapter is visible on the far right of the telescope. It’s not quite the same as the adapter Dragon uses, but modifying the existing adapter to work with Hubble’s would not be a major challenge. (NASA)

According to Patrick Crouse, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope project manager, without a reboost, NASA would need to consider a separate mission to ensure a controlled deorbit of the massive telescope by “the end of the decade.” The study’s targeted boost of “40 to 70 kilometers,” meanwhile, could extend the longevity of Hubble’s orbit by “15 to 20 years,” or well into the 2050s. But as a feasibility study, there’s a chance that it will conclude that using Dragon – crewed or uncrewed – to boost or service HST isn’t feasible. Ordinarily, the most likely outcome would be a conclusion that the project is feasible from a technical perspective but out of reach from a financial perspective.

Enter billionaire and private astronaut Jared Isaacman, who was directly involved in the September 29th press conference. In September 2021, Isaacman – alongside four others – became the first all-private astronaut mission in history to reach orbit. After the spectacular success of Inspiration4, Isaacman’s relationship with SpaceX has become even closer. In early 2022, the pair announced a new endeavor – the Polaris Program – that intends to conduct at least two or three more private astronaut launches over the next few years.

Expanding the scope of their joint ambitions, the Polaris Program intends to debut the world’s first privately developed EVA spacesuit, test spacecraft-to-spacecraft communications using Starlink’s network of space lasers, and culminate in the first crewed launch of SpaceX’s next-generation Starship rocket. On its own, the decision to privately fund and develop an EVA suit and pursue the ability to conduct EVAs out of Crew Dragon represents a major leap forward for SpaceX and private spaceflight if realized.

But crucially, when asked about the synergies between the Polaris Program, SpaceX, and NASA, Isaacman revealed that he and SpaceX are willing to undertake a sixth Hubble servicing mission more or less pro bono, “with little or no potential cost to the government.” According to Isaacman, it’s possible that “the study could result in [a Hubble servicing mission] becoming the second [Polaris Program] mission.”

Polaris Dawn, the program’s first mission, was recently delayed from a late-2022 launch target to March 2023. The four private astronauts assigned to the mission (including Isaacman himself) recently began training for the historic private EVA, which will see two of four astronauts attempt to briefly exit their Crew Dragon spacecraft in new SpaceX-designed suits. With a targeted apogee of 1400 kilometers (~870 mi), the mission will also attempt to break the record for the highest Earth orbit reached by astronauts, and the spacewalk attempt will also occur at a record-breaking altitude of 700 kilometers (~435 mi)

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Eric Ralph is Teslarati's senior spaceflight reporter and has been covering the industry in some capacity for almost half a decade, largely spurred in 2016 by a trip to Mexico to watch Elon Musk reveal SpaceX's plans for Mars in person. Aside from spreading interest and excitement about spaceflight far and wide, his primary goal is to cover humanity's ongoing efforts to expand beyond Earth to the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere.

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Kia and Tesla top list in Swedish study of strongest EV batteries

A major Swedish study has revealed which electric vehicles hold their battery health the best, and Kia and Tesla came out on top. 

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20 minutes ago

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October 21, 2025

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

A major Swedish study has revealed which electric vehicles hold their battery health the best, and Kia and Tesla came out on top. 

Swedish car broker Kvdbil initiated a test of more than 1,300 used BEVs and plug-in hybrids to determine which models retain the best battery capacity over time. Based on the study’s results, the Kia EV6, Kia e-Niro, and the Tesla Model Y were deemed the best.

Kia and Tesla lead the pack

Kvdbil’s test results are bullish for electric vehicles as a whole. The study showed that eight out of ten used electric cars still had at least 90% of their original battery capacity. Kia’s EV6 and e-Niro finished first and second in the rankings, while Tesla’s Model Y came in third. As per CarInfo data, Sweden currently has 12,148 Kia EV6 registered, while there are 48,488 Model Y.

In a comment to the media, test manager Martin Reinholdsson stated, “They are actually better than we thought. We were a bit surprised that there were so many that were this good.”

In a way, Tesla’s strong performance in the test carries extra weight since the Model Y is one of Sweden’s best-selling EVs, giving the test a much larger sample size compared to Kia’s smaller but highly rated fleet. 

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Battery tech, driver habits, and age all play a role

Kvdbil noted that the test’s standout results could be attributed to advanced battery management systems and careful engineering, as noted in a report from the Sweden Herald. At the same time, the study also found that factors like charging routines, driving style, and the age of a vehicle can influence capacity retention.

Rounding out the top ten were entries from Opel, Mazda, Audi, Fiat, Volvo, Citroën, and Volkswagen, as noted in a CarUp report.

This is not the first time that Tesla’s battery prowess has shown its strength. Last year, reports emerged stating that a Tesla Model S 90D from Chesterfield, UK, had traveled 430,000 miles on its original motors and batteries. Over that period, which was comprised of constant Supercharging sessions due to the car being used as an airport taxi, the Model S 90D only lost 65 miles of range.

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Tesla just made Service even easier and more convenient

The new feature is rolling out to iOS users now; we have not heard any confirmation from Android phone users whether they are receiving it too.

Published

5 hours ago

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October 20, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla just made servicing your vehicle even easier and more convenient than it already is.

All it did was add a new section to its smartphone app.

Tesla has officially launched a new Maintenance tab that estimates the repair date and cost, and uses vehicle data to determine if any part is in need of replacement.

It can be found by accessing the app, going to Service, then hitting Request Service, and then Maintenance.

The new feature is rolling out to iOS users now; we have not heard any confirmation from Android phone users whether they are receiving it too. Since it is not a vehicle capability, we do not believe Tesla will delay the release of the feature to Android phones.

Teslas are already well known for having extremely low maintenance needs, and semi-annual check ups usually only require a tire rotation and some additional windshield washer fluid. There is not a need for things like oil changes or other things that are routinely needed on combustion engine cars due to the lack of parts.

Additionally, the small addition to the company’s smartphone app will help facilitate needs for Service, and could help relieve some congestion, while also streamlining the repair process for technicians.

Tesla to make app change for easier communication following Service

One of the biggest complaints about owning a Tesla is Service wait times, as availability can be extremely limited in some areas. However, Tesla has done a lot to work on increasing the number of Service centers it has, while also working hard to streamline service and make it less time-consuming.

Tesla has aimed to have an F1-style service experience, but it has not worked out that way. With that being said, there are significantly fewer complaints with Tesla’s Service division than in years past. With the presence of Mobile Technicians and more refined Service processes, things are definitely improving.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk hits back at former Tesla employee who disagrees with pay package

Tesla is worth more than all other automotive companies combined. Which of those CEOs would you like to run Tesla?

It won’t be me.

Published

18 hours ago

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October 20, 2025

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elon musk speaking
Credit: TED

Elon Musk gave a tough response to a former Tesla employee who spoke out on X about the structure of the CEO’s pay package, arguing that it is an overpayment and would not generate enough shareholder value.

Without a doubt, the biggest issue on the bill at this year’s Tesla Shareholder Meeting in November is that of the pay package that was proposed to CEO Elon Musk.

As the Shareholder Meeting approaches, Tesla is urging those investors to vote in support of Musk’s pay package. So far, the community has been overwhelmingly supportive of giving Musk his massive payday, which could give him $1 trillion in additional holdings if he completes each of the outlined performance tranches.

However, there are a handful of institutional and individual shareholders who have pushed back against the package, either because of its value or because they feel it does not benefit shareholders enough.

Last week, we reported that Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) advised voting against Tesla’s pay package for Musk. The firm said the payday would give Musk”extraordinarily high pay opportunities over the next ten years,” and it would “reduce the board’s ability to meaningfully adjust future pay levels.”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s $1 trillion pay package hits first adversity from proxy firm

Additionally, it called the value of the pay package “astronomical.”

On Saturday, a former Tesla employee said on X that Tesla’s proposed pay package for Musk would “barely beat inflation and it would underperform the S&P 500 considerably.” Additionally, he said:

“Sorry, Tesla, some of us (and supposedly, ISS too) simply don’t think that underperforming the S&P 500 this much is worth paying somebody 20 billion dollars worth of company value.

As a fan, I love Tesla, I want it to succeed. As a shareholder, I don’t want Tesla to over-pay for its CEO I strongly believe that the 2025 pay package proposal would over-pay for its CEO, and that other competent CEOs could grow Tesla just as much with way less political drama and cost investors much less that this proposal.”

Musk responded bluntly:

“Tesla is worth more than all other automotive companies combined. Which of those CEOs would you like to run Tesla? It won’t be me.”

It seems the worry about Musk’s potential involvement in politics still looms to many, based on the responses to Musk’s post, which frequently mention that as a downside of his last year as Tesla CEO. However, Tesla’s Board confronted that directly.

In its proxy filing after announcing the pay package, Tesla said that it had three commitments, one of which was that the company would “receive assurances that Musk’s involvement with the political sphere would wind down in a timely manner.”

Tesla Board takes firm stance on Elon Musk’s political involvement in pay package proxy

Musk’s previous pay package was approved by shareholders twice, but it never made it to the CEO because of a lawsuit with the Delaware Chancery Court brought forth by a small-time shareholder.

The response from Musk does seem to show that if this time is no different, he will inevitably step down as CEO in the coming years.

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