NASA issued a Request for Information on Oct. 29 to gather industry ideas for in-space servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope. The agency said it wants to learn what commercial providers can do to extend Hubble’s science life, enhance its capabilities, or manage its end-of-mission disposal.

The request seeks commercial interest in three areas: a mission to boost Hubble to a higher altitude, servicing to improve its capabilities, or a safe, controlled re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere or orbital disposal at the end of its mission. “Hubble still has important science ahead of it,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. He said the agency should examine “innovative and cost-effective ways” to keep Hubble operating.

NASA said Hubble’s altitude is slowly decreasing because of atmospheric drag, and the observatory does not have propulsion to maintain its orbit. Analysis predicts re-entry in the 2033 to 2034 timeframe, according to the agency. NASA said a mission would need to take place by 2032.

Nicky Fox, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said commercial satellite capture and servicing capabilities have advanced in recent years. “Given the time we have until Hubble’s anticipated re-entry, we are eager to explore the breadth of possibilities to boost Hubble to a higher orbit while we develop the flagship mission to follow,” Fox said.

NASA posted the Request for Information online. The agency said it will remain open until 3 p.m. EST on Monday, Nov. 30. NASA did not say how many companies it expects to respond.

Hubble has been operating for more than three decades and continues to produce discoveries, NASA said. The observatory is a joint project of NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA.