A Software Glitch Forced the Webb Space Telescope Into Safe Mode

The Webb Space Telescope ’s instruments have been in safe mode intermittently since December 7 , but scientific procedure summarise in the beginning this workweek , NASA said in apress releaseon Wednesday .

Webb was in safe manner — during which all the observatory ’s incidental systems are turned off , which entail no scientific functioning — multiple time in the last two week , the sacking stated . Though NASA says the return is resolved and “ the observatory and instruments are all in full health , ” the agency also did not describe the bug until yesterday .

Webb is a $ 10 billion space observatory that visualize the cosmos at infrared and near - infrared wavelength . It is a state - of - the - art telescope that has captured our attention in its first six months of scientific observations , revealing iconic structure likethe Pillars of Creationin young light .

An artist’s conception of the Webb Space Telescope.

An artist’s conception of the Webb Space Telescope.Illustration:NASA GSFC/CIL/Adriana Manrique Gutierrez

The NASA waiver says the “ software fault actuate in the attitude control system , ” the apparatus that guides where the observatory is pointing . That ’s most focussing , except that the telescope was turned forth from the micrometeoroid avoidance geographical zone in the spring , to protect the scope ’s mirrors . That maneuver camefollowing a space rock strikethat damaged one of the mirror panels .

The pauses added up to several days that the telescope could not do observations this calendar month , NASA read . Now , scientific discipline is fully back underway , and the Webb team is working to reschedule the observations touch by the glitch .

Yesterday , Webb posted the cosmic equivalent of a vacation card : an icon of the spiral galaxy NGC 7469 , which bear a resemblance to a wreath . The galaxy is 220 million lightheaded - years away and look distinctly serene in Webb ’s optic . Sharp diffraction spike spread from the galactic center , where a supermassive black hole resides .

The spiral galaxy NGC 7469.

The spiral galaxy NGC 7469.Image:ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, L. Armus, A. S. Evans

Besides insure known object in fresh ways , Webb has fancy light from the early corners of the cosmos , twinkle which was too faint for previous observatories to see .

One of Webb ’s core scientific goals is to inspect ancient lightheaded sources — the earliest stars and wandflower — to understand how those objects emerge and evolved in deep prison term .

In other words , it ’d be really nice if Webb could avoid good mode , for the interest of science . But better safe than sorry , and now that the scope is back to business , let ’s go for it stays that path .

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