NPR reported recently that the Hubble Space Telescope's "payload computer", which has been offline for three weeks, had stopped working. "Without it the instruments onboard meant to take pictures and collect data are currently not functioning." NPR also reported that the payload computer was down for NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. NASA announced this weekend that it has a procedure to turn on the telescope's backup equipment. It will also test these crucial procedures in the next week. NASA has "completed preparations for these tests" over the past week. NASA confirmed that the telescope and its science instruments have remained safe and sound after more than 30 years of space travel. NASA has now suspended all scientific observations. However, images that have been collected by the telescope remain being analyzed, Space.com reports. This includes a photo with all colors of the American flag, released just before the holiday to celebrate the nation's independence. Today NASA also tweeted an image of the Fireworks Galaxy, a spiral galaxy Caldwell 12 that boasts an unprecedented number of supernovae, which was first observed in 1917.
