According to the Space Telescope Science Institute (STSI) affiliated with NASA, the primary camera of the Hubble Space Telescope has ceased functioning for over a week now. NASA is working on resolving this issue.
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| Source: khulsey |
The Hubble Space Telescope is considered a “revolution” in the field of astronomy, providing stunning images from the universe. It is equipped with three separate electronic cameras, a filter, and a light diffuser used to capture distant objects.
The third camera, installed in 2002, is the most modern and important component of Hubble. NASA engineers are currently trying to determine the cause of the malfunction and find a way to repair it. Meanwhile, the other two auxiliary cameras are still operational.
The cause of the malfunction may be due to a faulty semiconductor or a loss of memory in the camera. A NASA spokesperson, Ed Campion, is optimistic that “both possibilities can be addressed from the ground.”
Weighing 11 tons with a diameter of 2.4 meters, Hubble was launched on April 24, 1990, and orbits Earth at an altitude of 600 km. The telescope requires a fuel cell replacement and new gyroscopes if it is to continue operating until 2007.
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One of Hubble’s most famous images: The Pillars of Creation, where stars are forming in the Eagle Nebula |
In 2005, funding for the Hubble telescope was cut from NASA’s 2006 budget, while it desperately needed new gyroscopes to maintain stability in its orbit, as well as new power generators.
NASA plans to conduct a servicing mission at the end of 2007 to extend Hubble’s operation for another five years.
The future of Hubble remains uncertain. If the gyroscopes are not replaced to stabilize its orbit, Hubble will fall back to Earth after 2010.
The “successor” to Hubble is the James Webb Space Telescope, which is intended to be launched in 2013 and will orbit at a higher altitude than Hubble currently does. However, the James Webb telescope can only capture images in infrared, and thus cannot replace Hubble in observing visible spectrum portions.
Hoàng Minh
