NASA announced that Hubble entered safe mode on November 23 due to an ongoing gyro problem. The space agency is organizing intensive efforts to restart science operations of the Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble’s instruments are reportedly stable and the telescope is in good health.

What happened to Hubble?

Launched in 1990, Hubble has been observing the universe for more than 33 years. The telescope, which plays an important role in our understanding of space, also sheds light on the scientific world’s studies on space. According to NASA, the Hubble Telescope automatically entered safe mode when one of its three gyroscopes gave erroneous measurements.

The gyroscopes measure the telescope’s rotation speed and determine which direction the telescope is facing. While in safe mode, science operations are suspended and the telescope awaits new directions from the ground.

Hubble first went into safe mode on November 19. Although the NASA operations team successfully recovered the spacecraft to resume observations the next day, the unstable gyro caused the observatory to suspend science operations once again on November 21. After a successful recovery, Hubble re-entered safe mode on November 23.

The NASA team is now conducting tests to identify the problem and develop a solution. If necessary, the spacecraft will be reconfigured to operate with a single gyroscope. Six new gyroscopes were installed on the spacecraft during the fifth and final space shuttle servicing mission in 2009.

To date, three of these gyroscopes remain operational. Hubble uses three gyroscopes to maximize efficiency. However, it can continue to make science observations with a single gyroscope if needed.

NASA predicts that Hubble will continue to make groundbreaking discoveries throughout this decade and possibly the next, working with other observatories such as the agency’s James Webb Space Telescope.

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