NASA has announced plans to transition the Hubble spacecraft to a new operational mode in order to resume regular science operations. In this mode, Hubble will operate with only one gyro, while keeping another gyro on standby for future use. The spacecraft originally had six new gyros installed during the fifth and final space shuttle servicing mission in 2009, but currently only three of those gyros are still operational.
Hubble typically uses three gyros to maximize its efficiency, but it is still able to conduct science observations with just one gyro. This operational mode was actually developed by NASA more than 20 years ago as a way to extend Hubble’s lifespan and ensure that it could continue to provide consistent science even if not all three gyros were working. From 2005 to 2009, Hubble operated in a two-gyro mode, which is very similar to the one-gyro mode now being implemented.
In the past, one-gyro operations were briefly tested in 2008 and had no negative impact on the quality of science observations. This history of successful operation in one-gyro mode gives NASA confidence that Hubble will continue to perform well in this new operational configuration. The team will closely monitor the gyro that is currently experiencing issues and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that Hubble can continue its mission of conducting scientific observations from space.
