Hubble remains safe but inactive as flight controllers work out how to proceed, officials said.
Nasa said the telescope slipped into a hibernating state more than a week ago, when one of its three remaining gyroscopes, part of the pointing system, malfunctioned. The space agency planned to outline a path forward on Tuesday.
The devices’ spinning wheels keep the telescope stable and looking the right way by tracking Hubble’s rotation and position in space. Three gyroscopes no longer function. Nasa said the 34-year-old observatory could keep making discoveries with only one or two good gyroscopes. Space shuttle Discovery delivered Hubble to orbit in 1990. Its bigger and more powerful successor, the Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021.We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
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