Posted on 10/24/2018 10:01:09 AM PDT by LibWhacker
NASA
Hubble's designers prepared for gyroscope failure by equipping the observatory with a backup. Unfortunately, when one of Hubble's gyroscopes conked out in early October, the backup didn't work as expected -- it was rotating too fast and hence won't be able to hold the telescope in place when it needs to stay still and lock in on a target. NASA has since been able to reduce its rotation rates and fix its issues by implementing an age-old fix for malfunctioning electronics: turning it off and on again.
Back to science! @NASAHubble is well on its way to normal science operations after a series of spacecraft stability tests commanded by our operations team. After evaluate its performance, the telescope is expected to return to science as usual. Learn more: https://t.co/KPKMDMO6dr pic.twitter.com/yOfaagZlep— NASA (@NASA) October 22, 2018
The process sounds a thousand times more complex than simply pressing a switch, though. The Hubble team had to move the gyro around while switching it from high-rotation to low-rotation mode again and again in order to clear any blockage that might be preventing it from working properly. Here's how NASA describes it:
"In an attempt to correct the erroneously high rates produced by the backup gyro, the Hubble operations team executed a running restart of the gyro on Oct. 16th. This procedure turned the gyro off for one second, and then restarted it before the wheel spun down. The intention was to clear any faults that may have occurred during startup on Oct. 6th, after the gyro had been off for more than 7.5 years. However, the resulting data showed no improvement in the gyro's performance.
On Oct. 18th, the Hubble operations team commanded a series of spacecraft maneuvers, or turns, in opposite directions to attempt to clear any blockage that may have caused the float to be off-center and produce the exceedingly high rates. During each maneuver, the gyro was switched from high mode to low mode to dislodge any blockage that may have accumulated around the float.
Following the Oct. 18th maneuvers, the team noticed a significant reduction in the high rates, allowing rates to be measured in low mode for brief periods of time. On Oct. 19th, the operations team commanded Hubble to perform additional maneuvers and gyro mode switches, which appear to have cleared the issue. Gyro rates now look normal in both high and low mode.
NASA will conduct a few more tests to ensure the backup can do its job during routine science operations. Thus far, they seem optimistic that Hubble will be back in business in the near future.
Ah, the OLD power cycle gag.
Must be running Windows 10.0
Occam’s Razor, proven true again...
You’re being ethnically incorrect. The tech aid should have been an Indian, not a “Native American,” who can barely speak English, let alone American English. There should also have been a stream of unprintable profanity coming out of the phone from his utterly frustrated American client.
I remember hitting my old tv to fix it. It really worked! Just smack it on the side and BINGO! it starts working correctly again. And I say that as the son of a tv repairman. Those were the good old days.
“NASA fixes Hubble gyroscope by turning it off and on again”
“I’m glad they didn’t have to try Plan B — kicking it.”
Plan B is to send up Henry Winkler to give it just the right smack on its side. On his way back, he’s going to go shark surfing.
Your alternate FR handle could be TVWhacker.
;-)
Back in 2001 I was participating in a big software go-live and I lent my DVD player to the War Room to let them watch movies while they remediated go-live bugs and issues. After 3 days of continuous use, the DVD player started to randomly freeze scenes and/or show digital snow across the movies being played. This room of suppose it geniuses were apologizing to me profusely for breaking my DVD player and I asked him if they were smart enough to unplug it. They said they hadn't and I proceeded to follow my own advice and fixed the problem. That's when I said to him “that's why make the big bucks.” mic-dropped the remote, and walked out.
Anything that runs software and has chip memory will: eventually experience memory leaks that eventually consume enough resources that it choke off the ability to run, experience an error or exception that sends t down a processing rabbit hole, or some other issue that locks it up entirely.
“I remember hitting my old tv to fix it. It really worked! Just smack it on the side and BINGO! it starts working correctly again. And I say that as the son of a tv repairman. Those were the good old days.”
One of my former jobs was as a Squadron Communications/Electronics Officer.
One particular type of radio had a problem that was fixed by hitting the front of the radio in a certain spot with the handle of a screwdriver.
The Soldiers thought I was an electronics genius.
Haha, I bet it would work to bring libs around, too!
And I say that as the son of a tv repairman.
Oops, I hadn’t seen your comment#27 yet... sorry.
Must have been designed and built by Microsoft.
Any failure, reboot and reboot often.
It was a good job while it lasted. He never made as much money in anything else he ever did. But I never wanted to do it, myself; he used to make me help him and would say things like, “Libwhacker, hold this wire, but don’t touch the red one or it’ll knock you through the wall.” Scared the heck out of me and I never wanted to follow in his footsteps.
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