IN SPACE: (FILE PHOTO) In this handout from the National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA), … [+]
NASA has done it again. The space agency fixed the latest glitch plaguing the elderly Hubble Space Telescope. The observatory is now back in action teasing out the secrets of the universe. “All of Hubble’s instruments are online, and the spacecraft has resumed taking science observations,” NASA said in a statement on April 30.
The problem started on April 23 when Hubble went into safe mode due to an issue with one of its gyroscopes. The gyro sent back faulty readings, which triggered the observatory’s protective mode where science operations are suspended. The gyroscope issue isn’t new. The same gyro that caused the latest glitch also acted up in November with a similar problem.
Hubble has six gyroscopes, but only three are operational. The gyros help the telescope point in the correct direction to make observations and collect data. NASA has a backup plan that would allow Hubble to continue functioning with only one working gyro, but it didn’t need to implement that measure. “The spacecraft is in good health and once again operating using all three of its gyros,” NASA said.
Hubble launched in 1990. It’s experienced quite a few technical hiccups during its lifespan, including a serious mirror flaw that was addressed through a space shuttle mission in 1993. NASA ultimately conducted five servicing missions with the last taking place in 2009. NASA no longer operates space shuttles, so it can’t send astronauts to fix Hubble when something goes wrong. Troubleshooting has to take place from Earth, which makes the team’s track record of successful fixes all the more impressive.
This was Hubble’s most detailed view of the Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula.
Technical problems and aging hardware aren’t the only challenges Hubble faces. The observatory’s orbit is decaying. “Reboosting Hubble into a higher, more stable orbit could add multiple years of operations to its life,” NASA said in 2022. The agency is looking into options for stabilizing Hubble’s orbit, including the possibility of a new servicing mission using a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
The Hubble Space Telescope is so old that every technical snafu conjures worries about its eventual demise. NASA hopes to keep the 34-year-old observatory running through at least the end of the decade, and possibly beyond. The powerful new James Webb Space Telescope launched in 2021, but it’s not meant as a replacement for Hubble. Instead, the two observatories complement each other and sometimes team up on images, like when they both contributed to a jaw-dropping view of “Christmas tree” galaxies in 2023.
Hubble’s work has become iconic, from the famous Pillars of Creation image to the Hubble Deep Field, a historic view of a speck of the sky containing 1,500 galaxies. The observatory has looked near and far to document the planets in our solar system as well as distant nebulae, galaxies and stars. Its mission will come to an end one day, but some smart troubleshooting means that day has not yet arrived.
Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
