A Hubble telescope image of part of the universe

Space scientists at the U.S. space agency, NASA, are celebrating the return to action of the Hubble telescope.

For more than 15 years it has provided awe-inspiring images of the universe.  Then last week NASA's Hubble space telescope stopped working.  Power supply voltages on the Hubble's most sophisticated camera were out of acceptable limits, shutting it down.  The advanced camera for surveys was installed on a 2002 shuttle mission and has provided some of Hubble's most celebrated images. NASA engineers immediately went to work studying the problem and successfully reactivated the camera from the ground.

Jennifer Weisman

Jennifer Weisman, space telescope's program scientist explains the repair. ''The decision was made to switch over to this particular camera's backup electronics system.   Fortunately when this camera was designed, it was designed with a backup set of electronics from the ground to the backup electronics.”

NASA confirmed Sunday that the camera and Hubble are back on track saying. "Hubble is doing a fantastic job right now."

As is, Hubble will continue broadening our sights for several years.  A planned shuttle-servicing mission will improve its imaging capabilities even further and extend the life of the telescope. Hubble's newest images of deep space can be seen at http://hubblesite.org/.