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Category: SpaceRevolution

  • China Claims Two Close Calls With Space Station and Starlink Satellites

    China Claims Two Close Calls With Space Station and Starlink Satellites

    China has filed a complaint with the UN claiming its space station had two close calls with Starlink satellites.

    Starlink is the constellation of satellites SpaceX is launching to provide high-speed internet access. The company’s initial plansinvolve 12,000 satellites, but it hopes to eventually launch as many as 42,000. Needless to say, not everyone is happy with the thought of that many new objects in orbit, with astronomers saying it will significantly impact their view of the sky.

    China is now adding to the list of concerned voices, according to The Verge, complaining to the UN that its space station had to take evasive action to avoid collisions with Starlink satellites.

    The complaint reads:

    China wishes to request the Secretary-General of the United Nations to circulate the above-mentioned information to all States parties to the Outer Space Treaty and bring to their attention that, in accordance with article VI of the Treaty, “States Parties to the Treaty shall bear international responsibility for national activities in outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, whether such activities are carried on by governmental agencies or by non-governmental entities…”

    It remains to be seen if any action will be taken, or restrictions put in place, to avoid such incidents in the future.

  • China Becoming a ‘Tremendous Threat’ in Space

    China Becoming a ‘Tremendous Threat’ in Space

    The US Space Force is calling out China as a “tremendous threat” in space, saying the country is advancing rapidly.

    US Space Force became the sixth branch of the US military in late 2019, tasked with protecting US interests in space. US Space Force vice chief of space operations, Gen. David Thompson, said the US is still the leader in space, but China is rapidly catching up.

    “China is a tremendous threat…I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion they will be the leader in space at the end of the decade, but they’re on an incredible pace,” Gen. Thompson told Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday.

    “We are still the best in the world in space. Our capabilities are the best in the world of space, but they’re moving aggressively, they’re moving quickly and we need to adapt our approach.”

    The US and China are already competing on multiple fronts, and have engaged in a years-long, costly trade war. It appears space is set to be the next battleground of their rivalry.

  • Federal Judge Shuts Down Blue Origin’s Lawsuit Against NASA

    Federal Judge Shuts Down Blue Origin’s Lawsuit Against NASA

    Blue Origin has been dealt a major blow, with a federal judge ruling against its suit aimed at forcing NASA to reconsider its bid.

    NASA solicited bids from multiple companies to build its next lunar lander. Despite initially signaling that it preferred to use multiple vendors, the agency ultimately decided on an exclusive contract with SpaceX due to cost concerns. SpaceX’s proposal scored higher and cost roughly half of Blue Origin’s.

    Blue Origin challenged the decision with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and then sued when the GAO refused to overturn NASA’s decision. Subsequent documents revealed that Blue Origin made a risky gamble, counting on NASA accepting its bid and then renegotiating a better price, or getting more funding from Congress.

    According to The Washington Post, a federal judge has ruled against Blue Origin’s suit, paving the way for NASA to move forward with SpaceX’s proposal. Despite the repeated setbacks, Blue Origin said in a statement that it will continue to press the case.

    At this juncture, it’s once again worth pointing out Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos’ previous comments about how fast and efficiently procurement worked for the original Apollo missions, and how different it is now.

    “Today there would be three protests and the losers would sue the federal government because they didn’t win…the thing that slows things down is procurement…it’s become the bigger bottleneck than the technology.”

    Bezos should know…

  • Verizon and Amazon Partner to Deliver Satellite Internet to Rural Areas

    Verizon and Amazon Partner to Deliver Satellite Internet to Rural Areas

    Verizon and Amazon have announced a partnership to use the latter’s Project Kuiper satellites to deliver internet access to underserved communities.

    Many companies and organizations are working to address the US “digital divide,” the difference in available internet access for rural vs urban areas. Verizon has been rolling out its Home Internet solution, which uses the company’s wireless service to provide internet access.

    In its latest move, Verizon is turning to Amazon’s Project Kuiper to help extend its existing network and serve as the backend for its efforts. Project Kuiper will deliver broadband internet via a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The company received FCC clearance in July 2020 to launch as many as 3,236 satellites. The approval was conditioned on the company launching at least half that number by July 2026. To date, however, not a single satellite has been launched.

    Despite that, it appears Verizon has confidence in Project Kuiper.

    “Project Kuiper offers flexibility and unique capabilities for a LEO satellite system, and we’re excited about the prospect of adding a complementary connectivity layer to our existing partnership with Amazon,” Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg said. “We know the future will be built on our leading 5G network, designed for mobility, fixed wireless access and real-time cloud compute. More importantly, we believe that the power of this technology must be accessible for all. Today’s announcement will help us explore ways to bridge that divide and accelerate the benefits and innovation of wireless connectivity, helping benefit our customers on both a global and local scale.”

    “There are billions of people without reliable broadband access, and no single company will close the digital divide on its own,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said. “Verizon is a leader in wireless technology and infrastructure, and we’re proud to be working together to explore bringing fast, reliable broadband to the customers and communities who need it most. We look forward to partnering with companies and organizations around the world who share this commitment.”

    Verizon is already struggling to play catchup to T-Mobile’s 5G network. It remains to be seen if hitching its rural endeavors to a company that has yet to deliver will pay off.

  • Blue Origin Announces Plans for Commercial Space Station

    Blue Origin Announces Plans for Commercial Space Station

    Blue Origin, along with Sierra Space, has announced plans for a commercial space station called Orbital Reef.

    The space race is heating up, with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic some of the leading commercial companies involved. Blue Origin was recently in the headlines for a flight that included William Shatner, the oldest person to go to space.

    The company, along with Sierra Space, is now setting its sights on launching a commercial space station, one that will be “mixed use business park” in space.

    Designed to open multiple new markets in space, Orbital Reef will provide anyone with the opportunity to establish their own address on orbit. This unique destination will offer research, industrial, international, and commercial customers the cost competitive end-to-end services they need including space transportation and logistics, space habitation, equipment accommodation, and operations including onboard crew. The station will start operating in the second half of this decade.

    The project already has the backing of Boeing, Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University.

    “For over sixty years, NASA and other space agencies have developed orbital space flight and space habitation, setting us up for commercial business to take off in this decade,” said Brent Sherwood, Senior Vice President of Advanced Development Programs for Blue Origin. “We will expand access, lower the cost, and provide all the services and amenities needed to normalize space flight. A vibrant business ecosystem will grow in low Earth orbit, generating new discoveries, new products, new entertainments, and global awareness.”

    “Sierra Space is thrilled to partner with Blue Origin and provide the Dream Chaser spaceplane, the LIFE module and additional space technologies to open up space for commercial research, manufacturing, and tourism. As a former NASA astronaut, I’ve been waiting for the moment where working and living in space is accessible to more people worldwide, and that moment has arrived,” said Dr. Janet Kavandi, former three time NASA astronaut and Sierra Space president.

  • Musk: In Talks to Provide In-Flight Starlink Internet

    Musk: In Talks to Provide In-Flight Starlink Internet

    Elon Musk says SpaceX is in talks to provide in-flight Starlink internet, and it will be even faster than customers are accustomed to.

    Starlink is SpaceX’s constellation of satellites that provide internet access to users in underserved areas. The service has been steadily improving as the company launches more satellites. As a result, Starlink is already challenging broadband in the US, and has surpassed broadband speeds in several countries.

    While Starlink already provides median download speeds of 97.23 Mbps in the US, Musk believes passengers in-flight will see substantially faster speeds.

  • Shatner Returns to Earth After Successful Blue Origin Flight

    Shatner Returns to Earth After Successful Blue Origin Flight

    Blue Origin’s record-breaking flight was a resounding success as the crew, including William Shatner, have returned to Earth.

    William Shatner, at 90 years-old, is now officially the oldest person to go to space. Shatner is well-known for portraying Star Trek’s Captain Kirk, one of the most iconic sci-fi characters in history.

    Going to space was a dream come true for the actor, and he was visibly moved by the experience.

    “In a way, it’s indescribable,” Shatner told the Jeff Bezos, according to International Business Times.

    “Everybody in the world needs to do this. Everybody in the world needs to see it,” Shatner continued.

    “It was unbelievable. The little things – the weightless – but to see the blue color (of the sky) whip by you and now you’re staring into blackness. … And then it’s gone. It was so moving. This experience did something unbelievable.”

  • William Shatner Will ‘Boldly Go’ to Space on the Next Blue Origin Flight

    William Shatner is slated to go to space on Blue Origin’s next flight, ‘boldly going’ where his Captain Kirk character has gone since 1966.

    William Shatner is an icon, largely for his portray of Star Trek’sCaptain Kirk. Since 1966, Shatner has portrayed the character in the original series, as well as seven movies. He’s been a constant feature in the Star Trek community ever since. In addition, Shatner is an accomplished writer, horseman, recording artist and director.

    Blue Origin’s next flight is scheduled for October 12, and Shatner will be joining Audrey Powers, Blue Origin’s Vice President of Mission & Flight Operations, on the flight. At 90 years-old, Shatner will become the oldest person to go to space.

    “I’ve heard about space for a long time now. I’m taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle,” said William Shatner.

  • NASA: Blue Origin ‘Gambled’ On Its Proposal and Lost

    NASA: Blue Origin ‘Gambled’ On Its Proposal and Lost

    More details are emerging about Blue Origin’s losing bid for NASA’s lunar lander, and it appears the company made a risky gamble that backfired.

    Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin were two of the companies bidding for a contract to provide NASA’s new lunar lander. SpaceX ultimately won the contract, coming in substantially cheaper than Blue Origin’s bid. Blue Origin appealed NASA’s decision to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), and then sued the government when the GAO upheld NASA’s decision.

    More details have emerged, and it appears Blue Origin shot for the moon (pun intended), basing their bid on the belief that NASA would accept the higher bid and then negotiate a lower price after the fact.

    The company “made an assumption about the Agency’s HLS budget, built its proposal with this figure in mind, and also separately made a calculated bet that if NASA could not afford Blue Origin’s initially-proposed price, the Agency would select Blue Origin for award and engage in post-selection negotiations to allow Blue Origin to lower its price. All of these assumptions were incorrect,” the four NASA attorneys wrote in the Agency Report, according to The Verge. “Realizing now that it gambled and lost, Blue Origin seeks to use GAO’s procurement oversight function to improperly compel NASA to suffer the consequences of Blue Origin’s ill-conceived choices.”

    Because that’s totally how bidding usually works: Accept an overpriced bid, that didn’t score as high as the competitor’s, and then negotiate with the winning bidder in the hopes they’ll offer a lower price after they’ve already won. Or at least that appears to be how Blue Origin thinks bidding should work.

    This isn’t the first time one of Jeff Bezos’ companies has overbid, lost a contract and they cried foul. Microsoft accused Amazon of doing the same thing when it sued after losing out on the Pentagon’s JEDI contract, saying Amazon used the litigation process to see the particulars of Microsoft’s sealed bid and then lowered its own to be more competitive.

    Interestingly, Bezos’ companies seem to be aware of the reputation they’re building — as sore losers that resort to litigation to compensate for overpriced bids — as Amazon “sent The Verge an unsolicited 13-page list” of legal actions it says SpaceX has taken over the years, in what appears to be an effort to prove it’s no more litigious than the next company.

    Ultimately, NASA said it best: “Blue Origin made a bet and it lost.”

  • Elon Musk: Starlink Will Exit Beta Next Month

    Elon Musk: Starlink Will Exit Beta Next Month

    Elon Musk says SpaceX’s Starlink internet service will finally exit beta next month.

    SpaceX has been rapidly deploying its Starlink constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The company’s goal is to provide internet access to under-served communities around the world.

    The service initially rolled out in the US, followed by the UK and other countries. The service has been a smashing success, and is giving traditional broadband a run for its money, in terms of speed.

    Despite Starlink’s success, it’s still technically in beta, although that may be about to change. Replying to a user asking when the service would exit beta, Musk indicated it would be next month.

  • Steve Wozniak Launches Privateer, a Space Startup

    Steve Wozniak Launches Privateer, a Space Startup

    Steve Wozniak is embarking on the next chapter of his storied career in tech, launching a space startup.

    Steve Wozniak is famous for co-founding Apple, along with Steve Jobs. Whereas Jobs’ speciality was his vision and marketing, Wozniak is a technical genius whose creations formed the basis of Apple’s early success.

    Wozniak has announced on Twitter that he is co-founder of Privateer, a different kind of space startup. 

    The YouTube video included with the announcement takes a veiled swipe at existing space companies, and especially the competition between Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos Blue Origin, saying: “This isn’t a race. It isn’t a competition, or a game.”

    The video ends with a statement that appears to sum up the company’s approach and goals:

    “So here’s to taking care of what we have, so the next generation can be better together”

  • Virgin Galactic Grounding While FAA Investigates

    Virgin Galactic Grounding While FAA Investigates

    Richard Branson made headlines when he flew to the edge of space, but Virgin Galactic is now grounded over a flight path deviation.

    Virgin Galactic’s ship veered off course during its return to earth, being outside the designated airspace for one minute and 41 seconds. According to The Seattle Times, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating, and Virgin Galactic is grounded while the investigation takes place.

    “Virgin Galactic may not return the SpaceShipTwo vehicle to flight until the FAA approves the final mishap investigation report or determines the issues related to the mishap do not affect public safety,” the FAA said in a statement.

    Despite the issue, the company says Branson and the other crew members were never in any danger, and that the ship’s pilots “responded appropriately” when high-altitude winds knocked the ship off course.

    “At no time were passengers and crew put in any danger as a result of this change in trajectory,” said.

  • iPhone 13 Will Support Calls and Texts Without Cell Service

    iPhone 13 Will Support Calls and Texts Without Cell Service

    The iPhone 13 could receive a major new feature, supporting calls and texts even when the phone has no cell service.

    The iPhone 13 is expected to be released in September, and could include one of the most compelling reasons to upgrade of any iPhone yet released. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, via MacRumors, the iPhone 13 may use low earth orbit (LEO) satellites to provide additional connectivity.

    Kuo has a long-standing reputation for reliable predictions about Apple, making this rumor all the more exciting. LEO satellites are currently gaining attention as a result of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service. The LEO satellites provide speeds and latency on parwith traditional broadband, and orders of magnitude better than legacy satellite providers.

    According to Kuo, the most likely scenario involves Apple working with Globalstar to use their satellites. The iPhone 13 will feature a custom Qualcomm X60 chip with satellite communication support built-in, and Kuo believes Globalstar is “most likely to cooperate with Apple in terms of technology and service coverage.”

    If Kuo is correct, the iPhone 13 could be a game-changer for many users in areas where their wireless provider of choice has dead spots in their coverage. With the iPhone 13, those users would still be able to make and receive calls and texts.

  • Starlink Has Shipped 100K Terminals, Serving 14 Countries

    Starlink Has Shipped 100K Terminals, Serving 14 Countries

    Starlink is undergoing rapid expansion, shipping 100,000 terminals to customers in 14 countries.

    SpaceX, Elon Musk’s other company, has been deploying its Starlink satellite constellation in an effort to provide internet access to underserved communities around the globe. The company initially rolled out service in the US, followed quickly by the UK.

    Elon Musk has tweeted an update, announcing the company is serving 14 countries, with more license applications already pending.

    Given recent data showing Starlink is already challenging, and in many cases surpassing, traditional broadband speeds, the increased rollout is good news for customers.

  • Blue Origin Losing Top Talent to Rivals

    Blue Origin Losing Top Talent to Rivals

    On the heels of losing out on a major NASA contract, Blue Origin is also losing some of its top talent to its rivals.

    SpaceX beat out Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin in a bid for NASA’s contract for a lunar lander. NASA had originally wanted to source multiple companies, but went with SpaceX exclusively due to budgetary constraints. Blue Origin appealed the decision, an appeal that was denied by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Blue Origin filed a lawsuit against NASA in hopes of overturning the decision.

    According to Gizmodo, however, some of Blue Origin’s top talent are already leaving the company. Nitin Arora, lead engineer for the company’s lunar lander program, has left for SpaceX — an especially bitter blow given Blue Origin’s loss to the company. Lauren Lyons has moved on to become COO at Firefly Aerospace, and former astronaut Jeff Ashby, as well as Steve Bennet, have also left.

    Whatever the outcome of Blue Origin’s lawsuit, the company’s bigger issue may be keeping morale up and top talent in-house.

  • NASA Pausing SpaceX Contract While Waiting on Blue Origin’s Lawsuit

    NASA Pausing SpaceX Contract While Waiting on Blue Origin’s Lawsuit

    NASA is pausing its SpaceX lunar landing contract while it waits for the initial phase of the lawsuit Blue Origin has launched.

    Jeff Bezos’ company, Blue Origin, made headlines and drew criticism when it filed a lawsuit against NASA for awarding SpaceX the sole contract for a new lunar landing system. Originally, NASA had wanted to award the contract to multiple companies, but settled on a single one due to budgetary constraints.

    Blue Origin sued after its initial appeal to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) was found to be baseless. In spite of that, NASA has decided to voluntarily postpone the SpaceX contract until an initial ruling in the case, according to GeekWire. The voluntary pause will end November 1, which is two weeks after initial arguments are set to commence. NASA clearly seems to think that will be enough time to have an idea which way the case will go.

    Jeff Bezos was roundly mocked for videos that surfaced of him criticizing companies that are quick to sue when they don’t win a government contract — quite the contradiction for a man with not one, but two companies that have sued the government when losing out on a contract.

  • Deja Vu: Another Bezos Company Sues Government Over Losing a Bid

    Deja Vu: Another Bezos Company Sues Government Over Losing a Bid

    Blue Origins is suing NASA over a failed bid to participate in the agency’s lunar contract, continuing a proud tradition of litigation when losing.

    Bezos other company, Amazon, made headlines when it sued over losing out to Microsoft in a bid for the Pentagon’s $10 billion JEDI contract. Microsoft accused Amazon of using the suit as a way to gain access to Microsoft’s bid, and then lowering its own to match, essentially doing an end-run around the blind bidding process.

    Ultimately, despite initial rulings upholding the Pentagon’s contract award, Amazon kept the contract tied up so long that the Pentagon was forced to abandon it in the interests of being able to move forward and modernize its IT infrastructure. This decision was reached despite those initial rulings displaying that Microsoft clearly offered the better value.

    It appears Bezos is following the same strategy in the space race, launching a lawsuit to compensate for an inferior bid. His Blue Origin company is one of the prime competitors to Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Both companies were bidding on NASA’s contract for a lunar lander. Initially, NASA had expressed interest in having two companies produce competing products, but was forced to choose a single one due to budgetary constraints, ultimately going with SpaceX’s bid. 

    Bezos’ company took multiple steps to get back in on the action, offering to waive $2 billion in fees and appealing the decision with the US Government Accountability Office (GAO). Blue Origin argued in the appeal that since NASA had previously — under a broad agency announcement (BAA) — said it preferred to award the contract to two companies, it should be forced to do so, especially since Blue Origin wasn’t allowed to modify or lower its original bid.

    The GAO denied the appeal, emphasizing that NASA properly notified the bid participants of the ground rules:

    We deny the protests because the BAA expressly put all offerors on notice that the number of awards was subject to available funding and the agency could make multiple contract awards, a single award, or no award at all

    SpaceX and Blue Origin were rated “Acceptable” in the “Technical” portion of the bid (with a third, Dynetics, rated “Marginal”). However, SpaceX was the clear winner in the “Management” section of their bid, receiving an “Outstanding” grade to Blue Origin’s “Acceptable.” Even more telling was the price difference, with SpaceX coming it at $2,941,394,557, compared to Blue Origin’s whopping $5,995,463,651. Even accounting for Bezos’ willingness to waive $2 billion, Blue Origin’s base price was still $1 billion higher, with a less impressive “Management” grade.

    It’s clear why the Source Selection Authority chose SpaceX (clear, perhaps, to everyone but Bezos). SpaceX had the higher rating in “Management” and “also had, by a wide margin, the lowest initially-proposed price.”

    Needless to say, Bezos’ strategy isn’t winning much admiration.

    Still others on Twitter were quick to reference an interview Bezos did, describing how quickly the original lunar lander project moved forward and the contract awarded to the winning company. Bezos even said in that interview: “Today there would be three protests and the losers would sue the federal government because they didn’t win…the thing that slows things down is procurement…it’s become the bigger bottleneck than the technology.”

    Well said Jeff Bezos, well said. Now go back to litigating your losing bid.

  • Elon Musk: Starship Will Land Humans on Moon Before 2024

    Elon Musk: Starship Will Land Humans on Moon Before 2024

    Elon Musk has indicated he expects SpaceX’s Starship to be able to deliver humans to the Moon before 2024.

    Humanity is in the midst of another space race, this time driven by commercial companies as much as governments. Multiple entities are eager to send people to the Moon and Mars, but Elon Musk believes his company’s craft will be able to deliver astronauts to the moon in just a couple of years.

    Musk was replying to a tweet from Everything Artemis when he made the revelation.

  • Houston, We Have a Problem: Boeing Starliner Goes Back to Factory

    Houston, We Have a Problem: Boeing Starliner Goes Back to Factory

    Boeing suffered another disappointment, as the company was forced to delay its Starliner launch, sending it back to the factory to resolve an issue.

    As private companies race to provide NASA services, as well as capitalize on the commercialization of space, Boeing has been developing a reusable capsule to ferry crew back and forth to the International Space Station (ISS). Unfortunately, Boeing’s project has been plagued with issues and delays.

    The latest issue involved four propulsion system valves that were not operating correctly, forcing the latest test to be scrubbed. Even afterward, the valves stayed closed.

    “Mission success in human spaceflight depends on thousands of factors coming together at the right time,” said John Vollmer, vice president and program manager, Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program. “We’ll continue to work the issue from the Starliner factory and have decided to stand down for this launch window to make way for other national priority missions.”

  • Starlink Speeds Giving Traditional Broadband a Run For Their Money

    Starlink Speeds Giving Traditional Broadband a Run For Their Money

    Starlink may be the new kid on the block in the broadband industry, but it’s already giving traditional companies a run for their money.

    Starlink is the satellite internet service being deployed by Elon Musk’s other company, SpaceX. Unlike traditional satellite services, such as HughesNet and Viasat, Starlink’s satellites are in low-Earth orbit. This gives the service speeds and latency much closer to traditional broadband.

    According to the latest Ookla Speedtest data, Starlink is closing in on fixed broadband and, in some cases, has surpassed its speeds. In the US, the service is providing median speeds of 97.23 Mbps down, 13.89 Mbps up and 45 ms latency. In contrast, fixed broadband provides median speeds of 115.22 Mbps down, 17.18 Mbps up and 14 ms latency. In contrast, HughesNet and Viasat’s median speeds were under 20 Mbps down, under 3.5 Mbps up and had latency of 724 and 630 ms respectively.

    Ookla Satellite Internet Comparison – Credit Ookla

    Interestingly, Starlink faired even better in the international market. In fact, in Canada, New Zealand, Germany, France and the UK, Starlink beat traditional broadband in at least download speeds, and often in upload as well.

    This data shows Starlink is rapidly improving to be a viable alternative to traditional broadband — an especially impressive feat since the service is still in beta. With numbers like this, Starlink is quickly shaping up to be one of the best options at closing the “digital divide.”

  • Hubble Is Back! NASA Fixes Telescope’s Computer

    Hubble Is Back! NASA Fixes Telescope’s Computer

    NASA has successfully fixed the Hubble Telescope’s payload computer, after it malfunctioned and stopped working over a month ago.

    After a month of trying to get Hubble up-and-running again, NASA was able to narrow the problem down to the Power Control Unit (PCU), responsible for maintaining the proper electrical voltage. Engineers began the process of switching to the backup PCU yesterday, and the operation was successful.

    The switch included bringing online the backup Power Control Unit (PCU) and the backup Command Unit/Science Data Formatter (CU/SDF) on the other side of the Science Instrument and Command & Data Handling (SI C&DH) unit. The PCU distributes power to the SI C&DH components, and the CU/SDF sends and formats commands and data. In addition, other pieces of hardware onboard Hubble were switched to their alternate interfaces to connect to this backup side of the SI C&DH. Once these steps were completed, the backup payload computer on this same unit was turned on and loaded with flight software and brought up to normal operations mode. 

    NASA says it will still take a day or more to bring the scientific equipment out of safe mode, and engineers are continuing to monitor the hardware to make sure everything continues operating properly. If everything goes well, it appears Hubble will be back in action, delivering more breathtaking photos of the cosmos.