NASA has temporarily halted science operations for the Hubble Space Telescope due to a faulty gyroscope that sent inaccurate readings back to Earth. The telescope, launched in 1990, was placed in safe mode on April 23 while awaiting further instructions. Despite the malfunctioning gyroscope, NASA reported that Hubble’s instruments are stable and the overall health of the telescope is good.
The gyroscopes on Hubble are essential for measuring its rate of rotation and helping operators determine its orientation. This is not the first time a faulty gyroscope has caused Hubble to be placed in safe mode; a similar issue occurred in November 2023. The team operating Hubble is currently working on potential solutions to this gyroscope problem.
If the faulty gyro cannot be recovered, Hubble could potentially be reconfigured to operate with just one gyro, with the other operational gyro being placed in reserve. These gyroscopes were installed in Hubble during its final space shuttle servicing mission in 2009 after 19 years of service, with three still remaining, including the problematic gyro.
NASA has expressed confidence that Hubble will continue to make groundbreaking discoveries and work alongside observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope in the coming years. Despite this setback, NASA remains optimistic about the future of Hubble and its exploration of the cosmos.