(CNN) NASA scientists are trying to repair the Hubble Space Telescope, which has been placed in "safe mode" since Friday after one of the three gyroscopes used to aim and steady the telescope failed. 
 
 The telescope, which travels the Earth at about five miles per second -- equivalent to driving from America's East to West Coast in just 10 minutes -- faces out to space to take pictures of planets, stars and galaxies to help scientists learn about the solar system. 
 
 "Science operations with Hubble have been suspended while NASA investigates the anomaly," a statement from the space agency said. 
 
 NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured images of Jupiter's auroras on the poles of the gas giant in 2016. 
 
 Named after astronomer Edwin P. Hubble, the foremost American astronomer of the 20th century, the sophisticated optical observatory was placed into orbit about 600 kilometers (370 miles) above Earth by the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery on April 25, 1990. 
 
 This is not the first time such a fault has occurred. A series of space missions were needed to repair technical problems -- affecting the gyroscopes among other things -- since Hubble's launch in 1990. 
 
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 The Hubble team is working to resume science after Hubble entered safe mode due to 1 of 3 gyros failing. Analysis and testing on the backup gyro are ongoing to determine why it is not performing as expected. For more info: https://t.co/T72X4pjLPI — Hubble (@NASAHubble) October 8, 2018 
 
 Hubble has six gyroscopes it uses to point itself and keep itself steady for observations. It can operate without one of them. Even two doesn't present a crippling failure for the telescope. The problem is that Hubble has only been operating with three of its gyroscopes up to now, the minimum needed for optimal functioning. Now it's down to two. 
 
 The current plan, according to Dr. Rachel Osten, the deputy mission head for the observatory, is to try and revive a previously failed gyroscope to replace this new failure. Unfortunately, that could take weeks to accomplish, which means the telescope will stay in safe mode until the team is able to troubleshoot the gyroscope. It's worth noting that the gyroscope failure wasn't unexpected; the problem is how to deal with it. 
 
 It's true. Very stressful weekend. Right now HST is in safe mode while we figure out what to do. Another gyro failed. First step is try to bring back the last gyro, which had been off, and is being problematic. — Dr. Rachel Osten (@rachelosten) October 8, 2018 
 
 If the team can't get one of the other gyroscopes up and running, then Dr. Oster explains that they will take Hubble down to one gyroscope. She makes it clear that, at this point, there isn't much difference between pointing with two gyroscopes and one, and this way the team can extend the life of the telescope as long as possible. However, this will impact the ability to point and stabilize the telescope, especially for long periods of time. 
 
 It's not a difficult decision, @astrogrant: the plan has always been to drop to 1-gyro mode when two remain. There isn't much difference between 2- and 1, and it buys lots of extra observing time. Which the Astro community wants desperately. — Dr. Rachel Osten (@rachelosten) October 8, 2018 
 
 The Hubble Space Telescope was last serviced in 2009, when all six of its gyroscopes were replaced, and it was expected to last until 2015. But the groundbreaking space observatory has continued to operate past that point, and NASA is committed to keeping it going as long as it can. Hubble's replacement, the James Webb Space Telescope, was supposed to be in space by now, but various construction and assembly problems have delayed its launch until 2021. Let's hope Hubble can hold out until then, if not longer. 
 
 Update, October 9th, 9:15 AM: NASA issued a press release about the Hubble situation yesterday, making it clear that the situation is serious but not grave, even if the team can't get the third gyro up and running again. "While reduced-gyro mode offers less sky coverage at any particular time, there is relatively limited impact on the overall scientific capabilities," the release said.
– The Hubble Space Telescope is in "safe mode," which does little to explain the trouble it's in. The renowned telescope entered safe mode around 6pm Friday—meaning it's essentially now just holding steady—following the failure of one of the gyroscopes used to point and steady the instrument. The gyro had looked to be on its final legs for a year, and its failure wasn't a stunner, per a NASA release. But the surprise came when a backup gyro didn't work as planned when fired up, the result being that Hubble is now pointed the wrong way, reports CNN. Scientists are working to revive the backup, but NASA says the telescope can still function if they can't. The Hubble started with six gyroscopes, but two failed years ago. The most recent pair of failures means that just two are currently functioning. If that remains the case, one will be shut off to serve as a backup, and Hubble will operate with a single gyro. It's not ideal, but it's workable. "While reduced-gyro mode offers less sky coverage at any particular time, there is relatively limited impact on the overall scientific capabilities," says NASA's release. No other maintenance mission is planned for Hubble, stationed 340 miles above Earth; the James Webb Space Telescope was expected to have replaced Hubble by now. But following a series of delays, it's now expected to launch in 2021, reports per Engadget.