Engineers have actually identified the possible cause of the Hubble Space Telescopes computer system problems, and they prepare to begin carrying out a repair on Thursday (July 15). Hubble has actually run out action since June 13, when it suffered a problem with its payload computer, which manages and monitors the renowned scopes science instruments. After carrying out a range of analyses and tests over the previous month, the Hubble team now believes it may have found the cause– a problem with the Power Control Unit (PCU). Like the payload computer system, the PCU lives in Hubbles Science Instrument Command and Data Handling (SI C&DH) unit. The PCU makes certain that the payload computer system and its associated hardware have a stable stream of electricity flowing in. It does this utilizing a power regulator and a “secondary security circuit,” which informs the payload computer to close down if the voltage wanders off above or below appropriate levels, NASA officials explained in an upgrade today (July 14). Related: The Hubble Space Telescope and 30 years that changed our view of deep space” The groups analysis recommends that either the voltage level from the regulator is outside of acceptable levels (consequently tripping the secondary defense circuit), or the secondary protection circuit has broken down over time and is stuck in this prevent state,” NASA authorities wrote.The team has currently attempted, unsuccessfully, to reset the PCU. So the next move is to change to the backup side of the SI C&DH unit, which has a backup PCU. All of the testing and reviews have actually been carried out ahead of this imagined repair, which will start on Thursday.If the switch works, Hubble will likely have the ability to go back to regular science operations a few days later on, NASA officials said.This type of repair is not unprecedented. In 2008, the team switched out a different part of the SI C&DH, the Command Unit/Science Data Formatter, after the module stopped working. Spacewalking astronauts replaced that whole SI C&DH unit in 2009 with the one that Hubble is utilizing now.Hubble introduced to Earth orbit aboard the area shuttle Discovery in April 1990. Astronauts famously repaired its flawed primary mirror throughout a maintenance mission in 1993, and the telescope has actually been supplying jaw-dropping views of the universes, and remarkable scientific discoveries, since. Mike Wall is the author of “Out There” (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook..