Move Hubble?

[docm]

Was following the tweets from the Commercial Space Transportation conference and ran into this from several sources: apparently Dave Huntsman of NASA Glenn was talking about using electric propulsion to move Hubble to the ISS orbit to extend its life. This just has to mean VASIMR. He also said a robotic storable refueling demo is planned to fly to ISS on the last shuttle mission.

Interesting stuff....

 

[SpaceTas]

Good.

I believe the last servicing mission did not attach de-orbit thrusters, so NASA will need to go to Hubble at some point.
I do recall that a robotic servicing mission was deemed too technically challenging and costly. Maybe with Constellation gone, and an emphasis on robotics this would be an ideal mission.

The ISS is not ideal it is better than splashing the telescope. It's UV and optical capabilities would complement the James Webb scope.

 

[Windbourne]

Was following the tweets from the Commercial Space Transportation conference and ran into this from several sources: apparently Dave Huntsman of NASA Glenn was talking about using electric propulsion to move Hubble to the ISS orbit to extend its life. This just has to mean VASIMR. He also said a robotic storable refueling demo is planned to fly to ISS on the last shuttle mission.

Interesting stuff....

Likely it is NOT VASIMR.
Instead, it is likely a tug using an electrodynamic tether using our magnetic field.
Think of it as a linear motor or generator.
Add power to the tether and we climb out of the well. Take power from the tether, and we descend into the gravity well.
It is cheap and easy to use in our orbit.

These are some of the possible tugs that we can develop.

 

[Testing]

A grappling fixture was attached on the last mission so a robotic thruster can attach.

 

[docm]

Was following the tweets from the Commercial Space Transportation conference and ran into this from several sources: apparently Dave Huntsman of NASA Glenn was talking about using electric propulsion to move Hubble to the ISS orbit to extend its life. This just has to mean VASIMR. He also said a robotic storable refueling demo is planned to fly to ISS on the last shuttle mission.

Interesting stuff....

Likely it is NOT VASIMR.
>
These are some of the possible tugs that we can develop.

Perhaps, but NASA did recently put out a notice that they were going to Ad Astra to examine the VASIMR tug, and a 200kw VASIMR goes up in a couple years to test it for re-boosting ISS.

That's why I followed that logic train; one follows the other, and unless someone actually tests a tether between now and then for an object that large VASIMR would have a leg up.