Computer problems plaguing the Hubble Space Telescope continued this week, with NASA preparing to switch to backup hardware to fix the problem.
Hubble’s problems began in June, when the payload computer controlling the scientific instruments in the orbiting telescope went offline. When this happened, all instruments automatically went into safe mode, meaning that everyone should still be healthy and functional, but not currently collecting data.
The NASA team on the ground went through several rounds of repair attempts, trying to focus on what exactly was causing the problem. NASA’s latest update confirms that the problem lies in a unit called Science Instrument Command and Data Handling (SI C&DH), within which there are several pieces of hardware that could be responsible for the failure.
NASA outlines next steps in an update: “The team is currently examining the Command Unit / Scientific Data Formatter (CU / SDF), which sends and formats commands and data . They are also looking for a power regulator within the Power Control Unit, which is designed to ensure a constant voltage supply to the payload computer hardware. ”
If any of these systems are the problem, the solution would be to switch from existing drives to backups. Most Hubble hardware has primary and backup versions, so the team can switch from one to the other if something goes wrong with any piece of hardware. However, switching to backup drives can be a complicated process. Due to the way the systems are connected, various pieces of hardware must also be powered off before the backup CU / SDF or power regulator can be switched.
The team is gearing up to switch to backup hardware this week, including testing the switching process using a simulator. The good news is that this is not the first time such a procedure has been performed. “The team made a similar change in 2008, which allowed Hubble to continue normal scientific operations after a CU/SDF module failed,” NASA wrote. “A maintenance mission in 2009 replaced the entire SI C&DH unit, including the defective CU / SDF module, with the SI C&DH unit currently in use.”
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