NASA is currently working to resolve the gyro issue that has caused the Hubble Space Telescope to enter safe mode. While one of the gyros has caused the telescope to pause its operations, the instruments remain stable and Hubble is in good health. Gyros are essential in measuring the telescope’s turn rates and determining its direction, and without them, science operations will be suspended until new directions are received from ground control.
This is not a new occurrence for Hubble. In November, a similar fault led to a similar outcome. NASA is currently investigating possible solutions to this gyro issue. If necessary, the spacecraft can be reconfigured to operate with just one gyro while another gyro is placed on standby as backup. Despite this setback, NASA remains optimistic about Hubble’s future in continuing to uncover the mysteries of our universe.
Hubble was launched in 1990 and has been observing the universe for over three decades, celebrating its 34th anniversary recently. With six new gyros installed during its final servicing mission in 2009, Hubble typically uses three gyros for maximum efficiency but can still conduct science observations with just one if needed. NASA expects that Hubble will continue to make significant discoveries throughout this decade and potentially into the next by collaborating with other observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope.