The Hubble Space Telescope, which is presently in safe mode with all but one of its research instruments, might be back in action soon as NASA prepares to put out a recovery plan ahead of James Webb Space Telescope launch.
The Advanced Camera for Surveys sensor is currently Hubble's only science tool working at the moment. NASA revived this camera on November 7 and has been collecting scientific data ever since. According to the space agency, this instrument was the first to be brought back from safe mode since it poses the least risk of future issues if missing synchronization signals continue to occur.
The space agency linked this newest Hubble problem to synchronization communications, which allow Hubble's sensors to precisely reply to data requests and orders. The 31-year-old telescope is in good working order, but on October 25, its research equipment went into safe mode (per Science Times) due to a rush of missed messages. Since then, team members have been seeking the source of the problem, necessitating NASA's suspension of Hubble's normal astronomical tasks.
NASA Extends Hubble Space Telescope Operations Contract
According to Phys.org, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) extended operational contract for NASA Hubble Space Telescope. The $215 million extension will expire on June 30, 2026. AURA will continue to assist Hubble at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, as it has in the past.
The contract includes:
- Scientific ground system development.
- Science operations.
- Science research award administration.
- Public outreach assistance.
- Mission data archiving at the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes.
In a news release, NASA's Science Mission Directorate associate administrator Thomas Zurbuchen said the space agency expects Hubble to "have many more years of science ahead of it, and to work in tandem with the James Webb Space Telescope. The space agency will hopefully launch JWST on December 18 from French Guiana, Science Times reported.
Indeed, despite this recent setback, there's no reason to assume Hubble will not be able to keep operating until the following decade.
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Now that officials extended Hubble's working contract, all the engineers have to do is keep getting through the roadblocks that this irritable telescope keeps placing in their way.
Now that the Advanced Camera for Surveys is back online and working correctly, NASA said the crew is focusing on reviving Hubble's other equipment. Since November 1, they found no new missing synchronization messages, which is a good indicator.
Hubble's research equipment has purportedly discovered a means to detect and respond to missed synchronization messages without putting the entire space telescope to sleep as a result. Hubble's payload computer, which controls, monitors, and organizes Hubble's science equipment, will also be altered. In the case of several missed synchronization messages, the suggested adjustments will allow the telescope to continue operating. According to NASA, these alterations will not jeopardize Hubble's safety.
The crew must now establish the order to repair Hubble's research equipment, followed by testing to ensure that the upgrades are functioning properly. They'll also keep looking for the error's fundamental cause, which they have yet to uncover. While the next instrument to be restored has not been picked, NASA anticipates the reboot to take several weeks, and the team plans to look into the measures required to repair Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3.
At this time, nothing is fixed in stone, and no time frame has been specified for Hubble's full restoration to regular operations. Hubble has gone into safe mode three times this year, but NASA has always been able to restore it.
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