Rhea Space Activity has unveiled a plan to restore the Spitzer Space Telescope to operational status, sharing the update with Ars Technica.
Launched in 2003, Spitzer is regarded as one of the so-called Big Four Observatories, alongside Hubble. It operates in the infrared and relies on a heat sink to keep its instruments cool. The telescope’s functionality waned after its primary mission ended in 2009, yet Spitzer remained scientifically valuable. Over time its orbit drifted and became less stable: the craft orbits the Sun not far from Earth, gradually moving away. This drift necessitated rotating the observatory to point the antenna toward Earth, while the Sun only dimly lit the solar panels. As a result, operations were suspended indefinitely in 2020.
Recently, Rhea Space Activity secured a grant of 250,000 USD from the U.S. Space Force to advance a robotic rescue mission for the observatory. At present, Spitzer sits about twice as far from Earth as the Sun is, placing it on the far side of the Sun relative to Earth.
Sean Usman, an astrophysicist and founder of Rhea Space Activity, described the project as the boldest spacecraft maintenance endeavor to date. He intends to send a dedicated spacecraft to probe and repair the telescope by approaching from the far side of the Sun, with the goal of reviving the legacy of the final major space observatory.
The plan centers on the Spitzer Resurrector, a compact vehicle no larger than one cubic meter. If everything proceeds as hoped, launch would occur in 2026. The mission would then take about three years to reach the telescope, while assessing solar activity and radiation along the traverse. Upon reaching a proximity of 50 to 100 kilometers from Spitzer, the rescue craft would attempt to establish contact and function as a relay satellite to support ongoing observations.
In this scenario, experts would monitor the repair window and remote communications, with the rescue craft enabling continued infrared science and potential data relay even as Spitzer remains the target of the intervention. The project underscores a growing interest in preserving historic space assets and leveraging modern robotics to extend the life of venerable observatories. It also highlights the challenges of deep-space maintenance, particularly when a mission sits behind the Sun relative to Earth and faces complex orbital dynamics.
Officials emphasize that the initiative remains in the planning and feasibility stage, with technical hurdles to clear before any hardware leaves Earth orbit. If successful, the mission could set a precedent for preserving aging space infrastructure and expanding the role of robotic servicing in the solar system.