Live NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope: Switch to Backup Faulty Hardware Fixes

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The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope during deployment in 1990.

NASA, Smithsonian Institution, Lockheed

NASA’s beloved Hubble Space Telescope faces one of its biggest challenges. A technical glitch left it in safe mode for over a month. This week, NASA said it has finally tracked down the source of the problem and tried a new fix, and it appears to have worked.

The US space agency announced Friday that “NASA has successfully switched back-up hardware on the Hubble Space Telescope, including turning on the backup computer on July 15.”

The telescope has been in service for more than 30 years. The Hubble team had been looking at the computer — devices dating back to the 1980s — as a possible source of the memory problem. “A series of tests that lasted for several days, which included attempts to restart and reconfigure the computer and backup computer, were unsuccessful, but the information gathered from those activities prompted the Hubble team to determine the likely cause of the problem with the power controller.”

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As with the payload computer, the PCU is part of Hubble’s Science Instrument Command and Data Handling unit. The PCU is responsible for providing a stable and constant source of electricity for the computer and its memory. Hubble is equipped with several backup systems, including a backup PCU.

NASA reveals 30 new images of Hubble Space in memory of a legendary

Since the issue surfaced on June 13, Hubble’s science work has been halted. The switch to backup devices should give the telescope a new lease of life. “The Hubble team is now monitoring the hardware to make sure everything is working properly,” NASA said. It will take more than a day for science instruments to get out of safe mode before normal science operations can resume.

Hubble is operated by NASA in partnership with the European Space Agency. “We are so excited to announce that Hubble is back online!” The European Space Agency’s Hubble team tweeted on Friday. “Congratulations to the entire team that worked around the clock to make this happen.”

We are so excited to announce that Hubble is back online! Congratulations to the entire team that worked around the clock to make this happen. Big thanks to the NASA GSFC/STScI Engineering and Science Team. Next up: Resume Science Notes #WelcomeBackHubble https://t.co/t8SMzk0ZAH

– HUBBLE (@HUBBLE_space) July 16, 2021

There was concern about the aging of the telescope. Its successor, the much-delayed James Webb Space Telescope, is still here on Earth, awaiting a possible launch in late 2021.

The Hubble telescope has crossed many technical gaps in its time, and it looks like the venerable telescope will continue through this newer telescope. Wait, universe, Hubble will be back.

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