The Chandra X-ray observatory goes into safe mode a few days after Hubble

A few days after the Hubble Space Telescope entered safe mode after a component failure, NASA announced that its Chandra X-ray observatory had entered safe mode on Wednesday. The US Space Agency announced Friday that an investigation into the incident was underway, adding that the data analysis indicated that the transition to safe mode was a "normal behavior".

Chandra has been precision radiographed in our universe since its launch in 1999. It is one of four observatories of NASA's Great Observatory program, which includes the Hubble Space Telescope, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory and the Spitzer Space Telescope. . The observatory spies objects including black holes, galaxies, supernovas, high temperature gases and quasars over the entire X-ray portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to help us better understand the universe.

This incredible spaceship claims what NASA describes as "the smoothest, most precise and smooth mirrors ever built," and is currently one of the most powerful telescopes in the world. Chandra entered a security configuration early Wednesday to protect herself during the problem, which would have involved a gyroscope, according to NASA. This was the case last week with the well-liked Hubble Space Telescope, which went into secure mode after the failure of another of its six gyroscopes.

"The analysis of available data indicates that the transition to safe mode was the normal behavior of such an event," NASA said. "All the systems have worked as expected and the scientific instruments are safe."

Chandra, 19, has largely survived her 5 years of original design. Once the problem is solved, Chandra's mission should continue "for many years," the space agency said.

Grant Tremblay, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical Center, tweeted Friday that the problem with Chandra had been characterized and that there was a "clear path to recovery". He added that Chandra was safe and should return soon to his mission. .

A representative of the X-ray center Chandra informed Gizmodo by e-mail that he hoped to have an update of the state of the observatory by Monday.

[CNET via NASA]