An STS-125 crew member aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis captured this image of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope on May 19, 2009. NASA The beloved Hubble Space Telescope will soon be changing the way it operates by limiting the speed at which it can target new objects in order to preserve its lifespan for as long as possible. Hubble has been having problems with its gyros over the last year, causing the spacecraft to go into safe mode several times while teams on the ground worked to address the issue.
The gyros, or gyroscopes, of which Hubble originally had six, are used to help the telescope turn and lock on to the target of study such as a star or galaxy. They work using an extremely fast-spinning wheel that is sealed inside a cylinder that floats in a thick, viscous fluid. This allows them to measure the speed at which Hubble is moving, so that it can accurately lock onto new targets.
Recommended Videos Hubble originally used three gyros at a time, with the other three installed as backups. Over the years, various gyros have worn out and been replaced, leaving only three operational. Now, as one of the remaining gyros has been experiencing continuing issues, the Hubble team has decided to switch to using just one gyro at a time in order to preserve them for as long as possible.
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