The Hubble telescope, which recently celebrated its 34th anniversary since its launch from Earth, has once again been put into safe mode in space due to an ongoing gyroscope issue. NASA is currently working to resolve the glitch that caused the telescope to enter safe mode on April 23. While the gyroscopes are responsible for measuring the telescope’s turn rates and direction, one of them gave faulty readings, prompting the telescope to enter safe mode.
Despite this setback, NASA remains confident in Hubble’s ability to continue making groundbreaking discoveries and scientific observations. The telescope has played a crucial role in modern astrophysics, making over 1.6 million observations and contributing to 44,000 scientific papers. To mark its 34th anniversary, astronomers captured a new image of the Little Dumbbell Nebula, located 3,400 light-years away. Additionally, NASA is looking forward to Hubble’s continued collaboration with other observatories, such as the James Webb Space Telescope, in the coming years.
This is not the first time Hubble has entered safe mode due to a gyroscope issue. The same problem occurred in November 2023, and the team is working to identify potential solutions to the current problem. If necessary, the spacecraft can operate with only one gyro while the others remain in reserve. The team is also looking at ways to improve their monitoring systems so that they can detect problems earlier before they become serious issues that require Hubble to enter safe mode.
In conclusion, despite ongoing challenges with its gyroscope system, NASA remains committed to keeping Hubble operational and continuing its important scientific mission. With six gyroscopes installed during a space shuttle servicing mission in 2009 and three of them still operational today, there are hopes that a solution will be found soon so that Hubble can return fully operational once again.