Hubble operations contract extended by NASA, provides status update

NASA has awarded the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), a sole source contract extension to continue science operations support for the Hubble Telescope.

Headquartered in Washington, AURA provides this support based out of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore. Hubble's mission has now been extended through to June 3rd, 2026, with the value of the existing contract increasing by ~$215 million, bringing the total to ~$2.4 billion.

The contract extension will fund ongoing support for Hubble out of the STScI, including science operations, engineering of science systems, awarding science research, data archival, and public outreach.

Currently, NASA is still investigating missed synchronization messages with the Hubble telescope, beginning October 25th. Since November 1st, no missed messages have been identified, but Hubble's additional instruments remain in mode as the investigation continues, though the rest of the telescope continues regular operation.

"Mission specialists are working hard to figure out how to bring the other instruments back to full operation. "We expect the spacecraft to have many more years of science ahead and to work in tandem with the James Webb Space Telescope, launching later this year," said Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate.