Hubble telescope may function again later this week via backup hardware

NASA says the Hubble telescope may be able to switch to backup hardware later this week. That could mean that the space telescope can resume its scientific research. The problem started a month ago.

NASA says in a brief update that it has completed a formal investigation into all operations related to the potential switch to backup hardware. That switch is likely to take place later this week, although the investigation into the cause of the crashed payload computer is still ongoing.

Whether this supposed backup hardware deployment will succeed by the end of this week remains to be seen. A month ago, NASA already tried to switch to two backup memory modules, but failed. The command to enable the backup module could not be completed. Subsequent attempts, including to collect diagnostic information, also failed.

NASA previously suspected that a memory module was the cause, but the organization indicated that the memory errors could also be just a symptom and that another hardware component could be the culprit. Later, the Command Unit/Science Data Formatter and a power controller on the Power Control Unit were also considered. If one of these systems were the suspected cause, it would be more difficult to move to backup hardware. If the backup Command Unit/Science Data Formatter or backup power controller is to be used, multiple hardware parts of the spacecraft must also be switched due to the way they are connected to the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling. The payload computer is part of that.

The payload computer is tasked with managing and controlling all scientific instruments. A month ago, this computer was no longer receiving the ‘keep-alive’ signal; this is a standard handshake between the payload computer and the telescope’s main computers to indicate that everything is OK. When that signal was not forthcoming, all scientific instruments were automatically placed in a safe mode. That is still the case, which means that no scientific research has been possible for a month now.