NASA: Return To Full Capability Unlikely
The Hubble Space
Telescope is in trouble again. NASA said Monday the satellite's
main camera -- its most powerful -- has shut down unexpectedly and
it's unlikely scientists will be able to return it to its full
capability.
The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) is the telescope's most
depended upon by scientists according to NASA. The agency says it
might be able to return about a third of the camera's capability by
mid-February.
The problem, which occurred at around 0730 EST on January 27,
appears to be a short in the camera's backup power supply. The
system's software placed the Hubble's systems into "safe" mode to
protect them. Scientists reset the telescope's system, but were
unable to get the ACS back online.
NASA's Preston Burch told reporters via teleconference,
"Obviously, we are very disappointed by this latest event because
of the popularity of the ACS instrument with astronomers."
Although other instruments are available for scientific use, the
ACS's wide field channel provided scientists with the ultra-deep
field and the deepest views into the universe. Both that channel,
however, and another high-resolution channel used for planet
hunting are most likely lost for good.
NASA’s senior project scientist for Hubble David Leckrone
told Space.com, "We’re not optimistic at all that those will
be restored."
The crew of the September 2008 shuttle mission -- the last
scheduled shuttle flight to the telescope -- is slated to make
repairs to the Hubble including installing a new wide field
camera.
Leckrone: "The saving grace here is that we have a superb new
wide field camera coming along that was originally designed, in
fact, to be a back up for ACS in case ACS failed. It was designed
to work in tandem with ACS if [it] was full alive."
The new wide field camera to be installed, along with two other
sensing instruments, will restore almost full functionality
to Hubble. Additionally, astronauts will install new
batteries, gyroscopes and a new fine guidance sensor.
Hubble's ACS has had problems in the past. In June last year the
camera's primary side A electronics failed forcing a switch to its
backup side B. Another problem in September forced a shutdown of
the camera, but the system reset itself soon after. This latest
problem is unrelated to the others according to NASA.
Interestingly, the ACS was installed by astronauts spacewalking
from the shuttle Columbia in March 2002 during STS-109. That means
the instrument failed just two months before the expiration of its
five-year warranty.
Care to guess how much that warranty repair bill will
run?