The Hubble telescope is a marvel of modern engineering and has provided us with unparalleled views of the universe since its launch in 1990. But like all machines, it eventually needs repairs and upgrades. In 2009, the telescope’s computer needed to be replaced.

The old computer, which was made by HP, had been in use since 1990 and was showing its age. It was becoming increasingly difficult to find parts for it, and it was starting to fail. So in 2009, Nasa decided to replace it with a new computer, made by IBM.

The new computer is a much more …