Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Following its 34th anniversary, the Hubble telescope enters safe mode in space due to a gyroscope glitch, disrupting science operations.
NASA is actively working to address the gyroscope issue that caused the telescope to enter safe mode on April 23, ensuring all instruments remain stable and the observatory remains in good health.
Gyroscopes play a crucial role in measuring the telescope’s turn rates and determining its pointing direction. A faulty gyroscope triggered the automatic safe mode activation, a recurring issue previously experienced in November 2023.
NASA’s team is exploring solutions to the gyroscope problem, including the possibility of reconfiguring the telescope to operate with only one gyro while keeping another as a backup.
Out of the six gyroscopes installed in 2009, three remain operational. While Hubble typically uses three gyros for maximum efficiency, it can continue observations with just one if necessary.
Despite the setback, NASA expresses confidence in Hubble’s ability to continue making groundbreaking discoveries and collaborating with other observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope in the coming years.
Astronomers celebrated the Hubble telescope’s 34th anniversary by capturing a new image of the Little Dumbbell Nebula, showcasing its continued contribution to astrophysics.
With over 1.6 million observations and 44,000 scientific papers, the Hubble telescope remains an indispensable tool in advancing our understanding of the universe, despite occasional technical challenges.