NASA recently placed the Hubble Space Telescope in safe mode due to a faulty gyroscope. This gyro sent inaccurate readings back to Earth, causing the telescope to be put on hold. Despite this issue, NASA reported that Hubble’s instruments are stable and the overall health of the telescope is good.
The gyroscopes on Hubble are critical for determining its orientation in space by measuring its rate of turning. This is not the first time a faulty gyro has caused Hubble to be put on hold, as a similar issue occurred in November 2023. Currently, Hubble’s operating team is working to identify possible solutions to this problem.
If the faulty gyro cannot be fixed, Hubble can be reconfigured to operate with just one gyro, with the other gyro placed in reserve. This telescope, which recently celebrated its 34th anniversary in space, was fitted with gyroscopes in 2009 during its final space shuttle servicing mission. Despite this setback, NASA is confident that Hubble will continue to make groundbreaking discoveries in collaboration with other observatories.
NASA has assured the public that Hubble will remain a valuable tool for scientific research for the foreseeable future. The agency also mentioned its plans to work with other observatories, such as the James Webb Space Telescope, throughout this decade and potentially into the next. Stay updated on breaking space news, rocket launches, skywatching events, and more!