Hubble Space Telescope has gone into Safe Mode again

Hubble suffered a problem with its Internal Communications system on Monday putting the telescope back into safe mode for the second time this year , scientific operations have once again been suspended while NASA tries to resolve the problem.

Hubble’s science instruments went into safe mode on Monday after experiencing synchronization issues with internal spacecraft communications. Science observations have been temporarily suspended while the team investigates the issue. The instruments remain in good health.
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It seems Hubble is limping into retirement as we await the launch of James Webb in December , hopefully NASA can again solve the problem and Hubble will continue on for a few more years but the signs are she is coming to the end of her long and illustrious career.

Hubble Views a Dazzling Cosmic Necklace

www.nasa.gov...

Although Hubble gaves us tremendous insights, I cant wait for the Webb telescope to become the new eye outwards.

a reply to: gortex

hubble is such a cool name. maybe she's just tired. eyes don't get better with age. anyway, she did a great job.

a reply to: onoloufo

After 30 years in the hostile environment of Space she has a right to be tired , it's a testament to 1980s engineering that she has lasted this long unlocking the secrets of the Universe year in year out.

Hopefully James Webb will pick up the baton and give us even greater insights , and perhaps even find ET.

Watch SpaceX come up with a way to send a crew up to fix it.
I don't believe it would be that hard for spaceX
send up one craft with the spare parts and another with a repair crew and do a few space walks.

Gee, too bad the World doesn't have something like a reusable space cargo freighter which takes off like a rocket and lands like a plane.

Oh wait...!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Whilst the Shuttle was a an amazing piece of kit for its time, she was still rather a dangerous prospect.

With 1-9 chance of a catastrophic disaster during flight, which became a 1-90 after further use.

Fact is the shuttle killed more people than any other space vehicle in history, and it was also an extremely expensive program to run.

She never went very high or ever really worked according to design parameters.

Should probably add to that all the same without the shuttle Hubble most lightly may have never been launched and certainly not repaired thus allowing her to do the wonderous job that she did for so many years.

There was an X-class solar flare. Dont you think it has something to do with it?
The CME is coming.

Every time I hear about issues with Hubble, it really feels like watching an ailing aging relative's health falter further

Hubble's been our eyes to see outside the house (planet) and neighborhood (system) for 30 years, millions grew up with it in a literal sense, either from a younger age (like me) to those born after it's launch.

I had the same "end of an era" feeling when the last shuttle came in for the final landing at the Cape -- I filmed it (Tampa Bay area) and savored that sonic boom as it passed by to the south

originally posted by: PapagiorgioCZ
There was an X-class solar flare. Dont you think it has something to do with it?
The CME is coming.

Hopefully I will be able to see it tonight. Ive only seen it twice in my life and that was in NW Arkansas many many years ago.

www.fox21news.com...

COLORADO — According to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, a significant solar flare and Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) occurred from the sun in the mid-morning Colorado time on Thursday. Analysis indicated the CME departed the Sun at more than 2100 m.p.h. and forecasters expect it to arrive at Earth late Saturday, with effects continuing into Halloween.

Given the speed and strength of the ejections, forecasters are able to calculate when geomagnetic storms will arrive on earth, and how strong they are likely to be. The material with Thursday’s ejection is set to arrive and maximize early Saturday evening. The Kp index is used to calculate the magnitude of geomagnetic storms. History shows it takes a Kp index of 6 to see the Aurora Borealis (northern lights) in Denver. A Kp of 7 means we may be able to see it in the northern parts of the viewing are after the sun goes down Saturday.

As the event gets closer, you’ll be able to see forecasts for the northern lights and if we’ll be able to see them here in southern Colorado.

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
Gee, too bad the World doesn't have something like a reusable space cargo freighter which takes off like a rocket and lands like a plane.

Oh wait...!

To be honest the shuttle was a cool but highly flawed program.
A perfect example of government bureaucracy in action.

That being said, bringing the Hubble back to earth would probably do serious damage to the satellite.
Fortunately the Webb is going to launch soon….fingers crossed.

Sounds like built in obsolescence! Did Apple build any of it

Is it strangely convenient timing that Hubble’s going on the blink just as the Webb is ready? I guess that maybe the boffins had an idea about Hubble’s lifespan, so no coincidence.

Still, it’s nice to have an eye up there that sees in visible light, so here’s hoping they fix or replace it pronto.

a reply to: McGinty

The James Webb telescope should be going up to replace Hubble in December.

And that's one smart piece of kit and then some.

a reply to: andy06shake

Indeed, I’ve been looking forward to it goi g online and hopefully getting uncensored pics and analysis.

But the Webb sees in infrared. That means it’ll see a lot more info than Hubble, but not as pretty. Be nice to make sure we have one up there that sends back the pretty (visible light) pics too.

Of course I realised that ‘pretty’ is a relative term - just ask my exes!

a reply to: andy06shake

Indeed, I’ve been looking forward to it goi g online and hopefully getting uncensored pics and analysis.

But the Webb sees in infrared. That means it’ll see a lot more info than Hubble, but not as pretty. Be nice to make sure we have one up there that sends back the pretty (visible light) pics too.

Of course I realised that ‘pretty’ is a relative term - just ask my exes!

When Hubble was first deployed and then fixed, I remember how awesome it was! The pictures were UNREAL for their time.

However, there is something I still can't quite understand with regards to the Webb scope.

The pics from Hubble were so awesome because it was in SPACE and didn't have to 'see' through our atmosphere. Then, modern science said it might be the LAST space telescope because future imaging techniques using computers would mean land-based scopes could keep up.

Now they're deploying Webb in space, throwing that idea away. Sure, it sees in Infrared, but why can't those same imaging techniques be used on land-based infrared scopes?

a reply to: Tempter

The James Webb may be able to detect what type of atmosphere exoplanets have via the light from there star passing through there atmosphere(Spectrometer).

We are not going to be able to detect things like that down here on Earth, with our own atmosphere also in the way, image correction techniques or otherwise just yet.

a reply to: Tempter

The Earth's atmosphere blocks a lot of the infra-red, so this is why it is in space.

Infra-red covers quite a lot of spectrum, and there are some 'windows' where the blocking is less, but for a complete coverage you need to be out in space.

Some info and a nice graphic:
Info on IR windows.

Hubble is still in Safe Mode , latest update from NASA dated yesterday.

NASA is continuing to investigate why the instruments in the Hubble Space Telescope recently went into safe mode configuration, suspending science operations. The instruments are healthy and will remain in safe mode while the mission team continues its investigation.

Hubble’s science instruments issued error codes at 1:46 a.m. EDT Oct. 23, indicating the loss of a specific synchronization message. This message provides timing information the instruments use to correctly respond to data requests and commands. The mission team reset the instruments, resuming science operations the following morning.

At 2:38 a.m. EDT, Oct. 25, the science instruments again issued error codes indicating multiple losses of synchronization messages. As a result, the science instruments autonomously entered safe mode states as programmed.

Mission team members are evaluating spacecraft data and system diagrams to better understand the synchronization issue and how to address it. They also are developing and testing procedures to collect additional data from the spacecraft. These activities are expected to take at least one week.

The rest of the spacecraft is operating as expected.
www.nasa.gov...

a reply to: gortex

Maybe there's a mothership creeping past, which will un-safe mode Hubble once out of sight.

...Only half joking!