Slowly, this amazing instrument is becoming out-of-date, and things seem to be wearing out on it. Yet, because of backup systems, on-site repairs and remote engineering excellence, it keeps on ticking. Hopefully, it will remain functional until the James Webb Space Telescope becomes operational.
From NASA:
Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys Resumes Exploring the Universe
After a brief hiatus, the Advanced Camera for Surveys aboard NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is back in business, probing the far reaches of space in a quest to understand the true nature of the universe’s most dominant constituent: dark energy.
This is one of the first images of the universe taken after the ACS camera resumed science operation on July 4. The camera was offline for nearly two weeks as NASA engineers switched to a backup power supply after the camera’s primary power supply failed.
Image above: A cluster of galaxies with recent supernova. Image Credit: NASA.
