NASA has identified the possible cause of the payload computer problem that suspended Hubble Space Telescope science operations on June 13. The telescope itself and science instruments remain healthy and in a safe configuration.
The payload computer resides in the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling (SI C&DH) unit. It controls, coordinates, and monitors Hubble’s science instruments. When the payload computer halted, Hubble’s science instruments were automatically placed into a safe configuration. A series of multi-day tests, which included attempts to restart and reconfigure the computer and the backup computer, were not successful. However, the information gathered from those activities has led the Hubble team to determine that the possible cause of the problem is in the Power Control Unit (PCU).
The PCU also resides on the SI C&DH unit. It ensures a steady voltage supply to the payload computer’s hardware. The PCU contains a power regulator that provides a constant five volts of electricity to the payload computer and its memory. A secondary protection circuit senses the voltage levels leaving the power regulator. If the voltage falls below or exceeds allowable levels, this secondary circuit tells the payload computer that it should cease operations. The team’s analysis suggests that either the voltage level from the regulator is outside of acceptable levels (thereby tripping the secondary protection circuit), or the secondary protection circuit has degraded over time and is stuck in this inhibit state.
Because no ground commands were able to reset the PCU, the Hubble team will be switching over to the backup side of the SI C&DH unit that contains the backup PCU. All testing of procedures for the switch and associated reviews have been completed, and NASA management has given approval to proceed. The switch will begin Thursday, July 15, and, if successful, it will take several days to completely return the observatory to normal science operations.
The team performed a similar switch in 2008, which allowed Hubble to continue normal science operations after a Command Unit/Science Data Formatter (CU/SDF) module, another part of the SI C&DH, failed. A servicing mission in 2009 then replaced the entire SI C&DH unit, including the faulty CU/SDF module, with the SI C&DH unit currently in use.
Launched in 1990, Hubble has been observing the universe for over 31 years. It has taken over 1.5 million observations of the universe, and over 18,000 scientific papers have been published with its data. It has contributed to some of the most significant discoveries of our cosmos, including the accelerating expansion of the universe, the evolution of galaxies over time, and the first atmospheric studies of planets beyond our solar system.
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54 Comments
Why is the background of space so black? Space isn’t a void of black emptyness but a beautiful array of colour? When will Nasa start being open and transparent about ANYTHING?!?
Because they know space does not exist. We have a solid firmament above us. And above the firmament is water. They are hiding the Creator…They are luciferians. All one has to do is look at all the names of their missions. They have Greek gods and goddess names. People are fooled. They also rob us of 50,000,000 dollars a day.
Katie: Cameras have a limited dynamic range for brightness. When a very bright object like the telescope is visible, the stars in the background simply cannot register (not enough light coming from them by comparison). If the exposure were adjusted so that the stars became visible, then the telescope would be bright white (overexposed) and we wouldn’t see its features and details.
You can see this for yourself with your own camera. Photograph something brightly lit in a dim room and see that the rest of the room looks almost black. Then change the exposure so the dim room is exposed nicely and the brightly-lit object will be bright white and overexposed.
There is no conspiracy here, just simple camera physics, same as you can see for yourself right here on Earth.
@PETER . If camera range is limited. Then how the hell can they supposedly take pictures millions of light years away. You are brainwashed. Period. I know for a fact that there is no outer space. I dont give rats butt what kind of rebuttal you try to come up with. I have heard them all..and they are laughable. Our senses tell us something different. Sorry you are a programmed sheep
Space only exists in the minds of the liars decieving us.
LIARS…Its time to wake up to the CGI fakery. There is no outer space. Use your brains people. Things just somehow fix themselves in the Choatic conditions in space. It ridiculous. Just like they are supposedly controlling a rover and helicopter Millions of miles away though chaotic space on Mars. Which does not exist. Ridiculous. Time to wake up to the lies
LIARS…Its time to wake up to the CGI fakery. There is no outer space. Use your brains people. Things just somehow fix themselves in the Choatic conditions in space. It ridiculous. Just like they are supposedly controlling a rover and helicopter Millions of miles away though chaotic space on Mars. Which does not exist. Ridiculous. Time to wake up to the lies.
I hope NASA continues to service HUBBELL. Some of the most incredible photos of deep space objects are both beautiful and fascinating.
31 years is a long time for an apparatus to be out in space. Maybe because it’s electronic technology was not as sophisticated as today it could stand up to the long haul of less things to go wrong. Mechanically it is the same grade as today in precision.
This confirms the best, time honored, troubleshooting advice, “Is it plugged in?”
Great job team Hubble!
Uneducated neo-luddites have taken over the comment section.
Look up in the dam sky. We are not moving
Education has nothing to do with common sense. You only parrot what they have told you. You are programmed and indoctrinated. There is no outer space. Period. Its CGI and you space monkeys buy it. Think for yourself. You have faith in a picture. Lmbo
You commenters are stupid. Save your conspiracy theories for the next election. Science is immune to your BS because of its transparency and logic. If any of you had more than an armchair understanding of this,you’d be embarrassed by your comments here.
I read the previous comments and it’s sad to see how many ignorant crackpot people we have in America. There the same people who are easily manipulated with dark conspiracy theories and the ones who wont get vaccinated and are used by people like trump, for his own power and money. These people dont read real factual information and are not curious to learn. Those stupid comments are easily explained by science.
It sad that the work of thousands or more brilliant persons over thousands of years is rejected by these comment
Wow you 2 are dumb… Go read a bible and let the adults handle the real world stuff.
Wow you 2 are dumb… Go read a bible and let the adults handle the real world stuff.
Space is fake. NASA is hiding the aliens from us. I do wish all the conspiracy theorists could just make up their minds.
Aliens dont exist… they never will. And nothing is coming though the solid firmament. Wake up programmed space monkey
LMFAO jy got head buried in sand much
No Chris…I am awake
Liars, CGI fakery, Space isn’t black? What kind of uneducated people are you, making ludacris comments like that? Oh…….sorry……Flat Earthers….and Karens….I get it!! We all should be glad to have educated people working hard to make things like this happen in our world, so we can progress and further our understanding of the universe around us…..and move farther away from uneducated idiots like these 2.
Sorry Billy, you are being lied to. The earth is not spinning water ball. Its sickening that you beleive the lies. I was indoctintated just like you space monkeys. Once your eyes are open there is no going back to the lie
JY. You are so right on. (On something) look up at night
Space will be black when the sun is out in space, much like the sky is blue when the sun is out here on earth Katie Monk……You dont see stars in either case. The sun dominates the sky in both cases making the stars difficult to see (all but the brightest or closest) and the sunlight scatters through the earths gases in our atmosphere leaving predominantly blue light (scatters easiest). Get into the shadows in space (next to ISS or Hubble or in a moon crater and you will see more stars than imaginable……simple physics…….go back to school…….As for JY……pfffff….not gonna waste my time on that uneducated Flat Earther. My thanks to SCITECHDAILY for doing a great job informing all of us even the dummies !!!
Katie, check out the “Olbers paradox”. Why space is black is indeed a very interesting question
CGI is all we will ever get
Possibly Katie and JY are QAnon executive board members. Please be kind!
You think I bleive in Q? Wake up dummy. We are all being fooled. I dont give a rats behind what you folks call me.
Possibly Katie and JY are QAnon executive board members. Please be kind!
JY suffers from 2 problems: He was dropped on his head at birth, and he skipped science class to smoke weed.
It makes me sad that there are so many people who haven’t had enough education (yes I know, you’ll call it indoctrination) to allow them to understand that what NASA and the other space agencies are doing, while far from easy, is entirely technically possible.
Prior comments are unbelievable, if folks really believe that. The universe is real, buy yourself a telescope and get more educated.
Why bother and go through all the troubles of creating decades of lies about outer space, our solar system, moon and planet rover landings?? The universe? This information is true and real. Wake up from your nap please.
There’s no lieing going on dude.
Just go back under your rock and stay away from your keyboard with tour thoughts about anything.
This worlds does not need your narrow minded foolish thoughts
🙂
Disappointing those trolling this site choose to remain completely & willfully ignorant, displaying their own lack of education, critical thinking, imagination and wonder, while displaying it proudly, rather than learn and enjoy our wonderful world & universe. Their loss… But anyways… Very happy to hear NASA has found a possible work-around for the ‘ol girl.. may we all be blessed with more knowledge, insights, and amazements, for years to come.. Also, may the JWT “make her proud” and be blessed with similar longevity!! So excited to “peek around some more corners” of the path Hubble has laid before us.!!!
Disappointing those trolling this site choose to remain completely & willfully ignorant, displaying their own lack of education, critical thinking, imagination and wonder, while displaying it proudly, rather than learning about and enjoy our wonderful world & universe. Their loss… But anyways… Very happy to hear NASA has found a possible work-around for the ‘ol girl.. may we all be blessed with more knowledge, insights, and amazements, for years to come.. Also, may the JWT “make her proud” and be blessed with similar longevity!! So excited to “peek around some more corners” of the path Hubble has laid before us.!!!
Lol Of course the 1st two comments are the ignorant and the deniers
JY… the part about using brains… oh nevermind
JY…. the part about using brains…
Oh nevermind
Katie and JY have issues.
good thing we have you two to break it down to facts
Monk and JY are clearly not real. Got to be bots. Not particularly well programmed. Vaguely entertaining, but the real science is a lot more interesting.
JY: you, sir, are a f*ckwit.
^ DERP ^ Some people’s children, I tell ya.. smh
Lies? There’s plenty of evidence that it’s real. What’s wrong with you and your conspiracy theories? Hahaha. There’s no CGI fakery. Mars does exist You can see it with a telescope… Haha. And yes you can control things on other planets by pointing radio waves at them which travel at the speed of light. Not that hard to understand if you open a book. Stay in school buddy.
@get real. The lies are from the fake space agencies. Not me. You are programmed and indoctrinated. They have thrown that spinning satanic ball in our faces since we were born. It’s called programming. Dont hate me. You believe this crap is real. They have fooled the whole dam world.
I hope they fix the greatest instrument made by humans
I got your firmament right here you mindless flat earthing Trumper!
This people did not went to school, of course the space exists, mayby planets with almost the same characteristics of earth, good god people we are not in the 30’s anymore, open your mindsss.
Why do people still believe that “Space, is a real “place” that can be explored by humans or by sending probes/rovers? Doesn’t anyone ever stop and think about just how ridiculous what we are told “Space” is and how impossible what they claim we can do and are doing out there? Ever think about how little trial and error there has been when in comes to “Space”, how there is like no testing (if any at all) that actually occurs under the conditions anything going to “Space” would encounter? It’s a joke… Millions or Billions of miles traveled, remote control robots, 1970’s tech still able to operate in a meaningful capacity today, data links sending images and info from 14 billion miles away, batteries that somehow last for 40+ years, boosters landing themselves back on earth, claimed factual knowledge about places and things no one has ever been to and actually observed and never will, the list goes on… I mean, why does anyone think this stuff is happening!?!? Space and all that comes with it is literally the most impossible fantasy land thing imaginable… Everything is based off of assumptions, theories, non-provable, unobservable, made-up, and invisible mathemagical nonsense that exists only on paper and in the minds of liars… Space is Fake. Wake up, people!
Dude.. you are the one programmed. Not me… I am awake. Space is fake. Ponder in it. You have been lied to.
Trial and error? You mean like why didn’t they have a Mercury or Apollo program to work the bugs out? Hmm. You may have a solid point.