Nasa is reportedly taking steps to fix a computer glitch on the $8.8 billion James Webb Space Telescope, which has caused the flagship observatory to miss its scheduled launch date.
The telescope’s onboard computer failed to initialize properly a few weeks ago, leading to the postponement of the launch, which was originally scheduled for October 2018.
Nasa has since been working to correct the issue, and the agency now says it is on track to launch the telescope in early 2020.
“The Webb telescope is the highest priority project for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate, and the team is working hard to get it off the ground,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at Nasa, in a statement.
“Webb is a critically important mission for Nasa and the nation, and we want to get it right.”
The computer glitch is just the latest in a series of setbacks for the Webb telescope.
The observatory was originally scheduled to launch in 2007, but its launch date was repeatedly pushed back due to technical issues and funding constraints.
The telescope’s primary mirror also had to be redesigned in 2011, after it was discovered that the original mirror was too flat.
The computer issue that has been causing the telescope to miss its launch date is not the first time that the observatory’s computer has failed.
In 2017, the computer failed to send commands to one of the telescope’s science instruments, leading to a three-month delay in the observatory’s launch.
Despite these setbacks, Nasa remains confident that the Webb telescope will be a success.
“The Webb telescope is a high-risk, high-reward project, and we are committed to getting it launched,” said Zurbuchen.
“Webb is important for astronomy and for the United States’ space program, and we will overcome these challenges to make it a reality.”
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How did NASA fix the Hubble telescope?
In 1990, NASA launched the Hubble telescope into orbit around Earth. For years, the telescope provided amazing images of the universe, but in January of 2005, something went wrong. The telescope’s main mirror had been incorrectly ground, which caused the images it produced to be blurry.
NASA tried to fix the problem by sending up a replacement mirror, but that didn’t work. So, in 2009, they came up with a new plan. They would send up a team of astronauts to repair the telescope.
On May 11th, 2009, the astronauts went up to the Hubble telescope and began to work. They replaced the main mirror and also repaired a few other things. The telescope was then sent back into orbit.
Since the repair mission, the Hubble telescope has continued to produce amazing images of the universe. Thanks, NASA!
How did NASA fix the Hubble telescope 1990?
The Hubble telescope was launched into space in 1990 and soon after it began to experience problems. The primary mirror had been ground incorrectly, which caused the telescope to produce blurry images.
In 1993, a team of astronauts was sent to fix the telescope. They replaced the primary mirror with a new one that had been ground correctly. This fix restored the Hubble telescope to its original glory, and it has continued to produce clear images ever since.
How did they fix the Hubble telescope flaw?
In 2009, the Hubble telescope suffered a flaw in its mirror that caused blurry images. Engineers were able to fix the problem by installing a new camera and guidance system.
The Hubble telescope was launched into space in 1990. For the first few years, it produced clear images of the universe. However, in 1993, the telescope’s main mirror was found to be defective. The mirror was not curved evenly, which caused the images to be blurry.
Engineers came up with a plan to fix the mirror. They installed a new camera and guidance system, which corrected the mirror’s shape. The new system was successfully tested in 2002.
The Hubble telescope has been providing clear images of the universe ever since. Thanks to its new camera and guidance system, the telescope is now able to take even better pictures than before.
Is the Hubble telescope fixed yet?
Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble telescope has been one of the most important tools for space exploration. However, in May of 2009, the telescope’s main camera suffered a malfunction, rendering it inoperable. For the past few years, scientists and engineers have been working to fix the telescope, and in May of this year, they finally succeeded.
The Hubble telescope is a valuable tool for space exploration because it is able to capture extremely detailed images of planets and stars. The main camera that malfunctioned in 2009 was a Wide Field Camera 3, which was installed in 2009. The camera was able to capture images in the infrared and ultraviolet spectra, which is important for studying the early universe.
After the main camera stopped working, the Hubble telescope was still able to continue functioning, but it was limited to taking only black and white images. In order to fix the main camera, the telescope’s gyroscope had to be replaced. The gyroscope is what helps the telescope to stay pointed in the right direction.
In May of this year, engineers finally replaced the gyroscope and were able to test the main camera. The results were positive, and the main camera is now officially back online.
The Hubble telescope has been an important tool for space exploration for over 25 years, and with the main camera now fixed, it will continue to be an important tool for many years to come.
How many times has Hubble been repaired?
Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has needed a variety of repairs to keep it operational. Hubble is an impressive piece of technology, but it’s not immune to the occasional hiccup.
Hubble has been repaired a total of five times. The first repair was in 1993, and the most recent was in 2009. The repairs have been necessary for a variety of reasons, including gyroscope failure, electronic failure, and damage from space debris.
Each repair is a major undertaking. The 2009 repair, for example, took 11 days and involved spacewalking astronauts. The astronauts had to perform a variety of tasks, including replacing a faulty camera and repairing a broken antenna.
Despite the repairs, Hubble has continued to be one of the most important tools in astronomy. It has allowed us to study everything from black holes to the birth of stars. And its impressive longevity is a testament to the hardworking astronauts who have kept it running.
Why was the Hubble mirror wrong?
In the early 1990s, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched into orbit around Earth. It was hailed as a scientific marvel, allowing researchers to study the universe in unprecedented detail. However, soon after its launch it became clear that something was wrong with the telescope’s mirror. The images it produced were blurry and distorted, preventing scientists from getting the most out of the telescope.
After years of effort, it was determined that the problem was not with the telescope itself, but with the mirror that had been installed during construction. The mirror had been ground to the wrong shape, causing the distortion. This mistake was attributed to the fact that the mirror had been ground in a vacuum, rather than in the air as it should have been.
In order to correct the problem, a new mirror was installed in 2002. This mirror was ground more accurately, resulting in images that were much clearer. The Hubble Space Telescope is now considered one of the most important tools for space research available today.
Will the Hubble last forever?
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched into orbit on April 24, 1990, and has since become one of the most iconic and well-known spacecraft in history. Amateur astronomers and professionals alike have used the Hubble to peer into the farthest reaches of the universe, and the telescope has produced some of the most groundbreaking discoveries in astronomy.
But with the passage of time, even the Hubble is starting to show its age. In May of 2009, the telescope’s gyroscopes failed, rendering it unable to point accurately. A repair mission in May of 2010 managed to revive two of the gyroscopes, but two more have since failed, leaving the telescope with only three working gyroscopes.
On September 3, 2018, it was announced that the Hubble had suffered a critical failure, and would no longer be able to continue its observations. While the telescope will still be in orbit, it will no longer be able to conduct scientific observations.
So the question on everyone’s mind is: will the Hubble last forever?
Sadly, the answer is no. The Hubble is not designed to last forever, and it will eventually fail. But while the telescope may not last forever, its legacy will. The Hubble has revolutionized our understanding of the universe, and its discoveries will continue to be studied and analyzed for years to come.
