NASA Forced to Hit the Pause Button: Hubble Space Telescope Experiences Glitch!
The Hubble Space Telescope, a renowned space observatory by NASA, is currently experiencing a temporary halt in its scientific activities. NASA has attributed this pause to a gyroscope problem, which compelled them to activate the safe mode on November 23. Efforts are now underway to restore the telescope’s functionality. It is worth mentioning that the Hubble Telescope has been in operation for many years, but its outdated technology poses a risk of permanent shutdown as it has surpassed its intended lifespan.
Hubble Space Telescope on break
NASA has been working to resume science operations at the Hubble Space Telescope after it entered fail-safe mode on Nov. 23 due to an ongoing gyroscope problem. However, the telescope’s instruments remain stable and its general condition is good.
According to NASA’s blog, gyroscopes play a critical role in determining the telescope’s pointing direction by measuring its rate of rotation. The telescope went into failsafe mode for the first time on November 19, and subsequent recovery operations managed to restore normal observations. It went back into safe mode back-to-back on November 21 and 23 after successful recoveries.
NASA’s operations team is actively conducting tests to identify and characterize the gyro problem and is working to find effective solutions. If necessary, the spacecraft can be reconfigured to operate with only one gyroscope. Despite installing six new gyros during a Space Shuttle maintenance mission in 2009, only three are currently operational, including one with variations. Although the Hubble telescope normally uses three gyroscopes for optimal efficiency, it can still continue to make scientific observations with only one gyroscope if necessary.
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched in 1990 and has made groundbreaking observations that have deepened our understanding of the universe. With more than 1.5 million observations and more than 20,000 published articles on discoveries, Hubble is the most productive science mission in NASA’s history.
