HUBBLE IN SPACE

The Hubble Space Telescope is a large space-based observatory which has revolutionised astronomy, observing some of the most distant starts and galaxies yet seen, including the planets in our own solar system. NASA describes it as having a crystal-clear view of the universe. During its career, the telescope’s observations have contributed to the understanding of the development and growth of galaxies, the presence of black holes in most galaxies, the birth of stars, and the atmospheric composition of planets outside our solar system.

FACTS ABOUT HUBBLE

Hubble celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2020

It was named after trailblazing astronomer Edwin Hubble

Hubble has made more than 1.5 million observations

Over 19,000 peer-reviewed science papers have been published with the help of Hubble

Hubble orbits planet Earth at 17,000 miles per hour.

HUBBLE 30 YEARS AGO

On April 1990, the space shuttle Discovery lifted off from Earth with the Hubble Space Telescope nestled in its bay. The following day Hubble was released into orbit to view the unknown universe. Hubble was designed to be serviced periodically by astronauts in space, and was therefore built with modular components that are astronaut-friendly to handle and replace. This allowed the telescope to be equipped with new, state-of-the-art science instruments and other equipments.

HUBBLE TODAY

Hubble’s mission was only 15 years but it has so far exceeded this goal. With any piece of machinery that is 30 years old comes some aging parts and there are no more servicing missions are scheduled to repair or replace equipment on Hubble. However, a dedicated team of engineers and scientists are continuously working to keep Hubble operating for as long as possible. Hubble’s explorations have fundamentally changed our perception of the universe and will continue to reveal new insights for many more years.