NASA Struggles to Fix Failure of Hubble Space Telescope’s 1980s Computer

guest · Jun 20, 2021

NASA Struggles to Fix Failure of Hubble Space Telescope’s 1980s Computer
June 19, 2021
https://scitechdaily.com/nasa-struggles-to-fix-failure-of-hubble-space-telescopes-1980s-computer/

NASA continues to work on resolving an issue with the payload computer on the Hubble Space Telescope. The operations team will be running tests and collecting more information on the system to further isolate the problem. The science instruments will remain in a safe mode state until the issue is resolved.

The computer halted on Sunday, June 13. An attempt to restart the computer failed on Monday, June 14. Initial indications pointed to a degrading computer memory module as the source of the computer halt. When the operations team attempted to switch to a back-up memory module, however, the command to initiate the backup module failed to complete.

Another attempt was conducted on both modules Thursday evening to obtain more diagnostic information while again trying to bring those memory modules online. However, those attempts were not successful.
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The payload computer is a NASA Standard Spacecraft Computer-1 (NSSC-1) system built in the 1980s that is located on the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling unit.
It is fully redundant in that a second computer, along with its associated hardware, exists on orbit that can be switched over to in the event of a problem.

Both computers can access and use any of four independent memory modules, which each contain 64K of Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) memory. The payload computer uses only one memory module operationally at a time, with the other three serving as backups.
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EASTER · Jun 20, 2021

Always enjoy the nostalgia of articles as this.

And that issue sure lines up right. Anyone ever have a computer memory module go belly up? it was not so uncommon but you have to hand it to NASA, it managed to give them some years usage out of it.

xxJackxx · Jun 20, 2021

mood said: ↑

Both computers can access and use any of four independent memory modules, which each contain 64K of Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) memory.
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They run this with a Commodore 64?

guest · Jul 18, 2021

NASA revives ailing Hubble Space Telescope with switch to backup computer
July 16, 2021
https://www.space.com/hubble-space-telescope-backup-hardware-success

The Hubble Space Telescope has powered on once again! NASA was able to successfully switch to a backup computer on the observatory on Friday (July 16) following weeks of computer problems.

On June 13, Hubble shut down after a payload computer from the 1980s that handles the telescope's science instruments suffered a glitch. Now, over a month since Hubble ran into issues, which the Hubble team thinks were caused by the spacecraft's Power Control Unit (PCU), NASA switched to backup hardware and was able to switch the scope back on.
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With Hubble back online with this backup hardware, the Hubble team is keeping a close watch to make sure that everything works correctly, according to a statement from NASA.
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NASA: NASA Returns Hubble Space Telescope to Science Operations

NASA has returned the science instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope to operational status, and the collection of science data will now resume. This will be the first science data collected since the payload computer experienced a problem on June 13, which placed the instruments in a safe configuration and suspended science operations.
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Victek · Jul 18, 2021

xxJackxx said: ↑

They run this with a Commodore 64?
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Your smartphone is millions of times more powerful than the Apollo 11 guidance computers

https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/smartphone-power-compared-to-apollo-432/

EASTER · Jul 18, 2021

Hubble Telescope could use a computer hardware and software upgrade. No more shuttles to perform maintenance.

focus · Jul 19, 2021

EASTER said: ↑

Hubble Telescope could use a computer hardware and software upgrade. No more shuttles to perform maintenance.
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A challenge for Elon

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