The Hubble Space Telescope is operating again after three weeks of shutdown

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – The Hubble Space Telescope is studying the cosmos again after three weeks of shutdown.

NASA stated that the observatory in orbit had resumed its scientific observations over the weekend.

The Hubble Pointing System had been compromised earlier this month when an old gyroscope had finally failed. The backup did not start correctly, forcing the flight controllers to propose a solution. The controllers managed to operate the emergency gyroscope through a variety of maneuvers and switches. Three gyroscopes must work for optimal performance.

Launched in 1990, Hubble performed more than 1.3 million observations of stars, galaxies, black holes and other celestial targets. Some are over 13 billion light years away.

The telescope resumed operations on Saturday by setting a distant galaxy in star formation in the infrared.