Hubble Telescope Put Into Dreaded Safe Mode Due to Ongoing Glitch

NASA’s iconic Hubble Space Telescope isn’t doing so properly. The observatory has been affected by a pesky glitch affecting its gyroscope, inflicting it to droop its science operations for a second time in decrease than six months.

On Friday, NASA announced that Hubble had routinely entered protected mode on Tuesday, April 23 when actually considered one of its three operational gyroscopes returned faulty readings. Engineers are presently engaged on a solution to resume the telescope’s observations.

This marks the second time the realm telescope has halted its scientific operations due to the same drawback. Earlier in November 2023, considered one of many gyros returned associated wacky readings, which prompted Hubble’s safe mode. The telescope resumed operations the following day, solely to enter protected mode as quickly as as soon as extra. It was lastly launched once more to life in mid-December 2023.

Gyroscopes are used to seek out out the route throughout which the telescope is pointing and to maintain its orientation. Hubble started off with six gyros on board, nevertheless solely three keep operational as we converse. The telescope can operate with just one if wished, however it makes use of all three for elevated effectivity.

One in all many choices NASA engineers are considering is to have Hubble reconfigured to operate with one gyro whereas placing the alternative two in reserve, in line with the realm firm. “NASA anticipates Hubble will proceed making groundbreaking discoveries, working with completely different observatories, such as a result of the corporate’s James Webb Space Telescope, all by this decade and presumably into the following,” the realm firm wrote in its assertion.

Hubble launched in 1990 as a pioneering optical space telescope, and has since delivered unimaginable images and predominant contributions to our understanding of the cosmos. The getting previous telescope has overcome completely different setbacks all through its time in orbit, and NASA seems assured in its restoration.

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