10 Fun Facts About Hubble Space Telescope

In what year was the Hubble Space Telescope launched into orbit?

The Hubble Space Telescope was successfully launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on April 24, 1990, as part of the STS-31 mission.

What initial flaw was discovered in the Hubble Space Telescope's primary mirror shortly after its launch?

Soon after launch, astronomers discovered that the primary mirror had a flaw known as spherical aberration, which caused the images to be blurry. This flaw was later corrected by a servicing mission.

How many Space Shuttle missions serviced the Hubble Space Telescope?

Hubble is the only telescope designed to be maintained in space by astronauts. Five Space Shuttle missions repaired, upgraded, and replaced systems on the telescope, including all five of the main instruments.

What is the approximate diameter of the Hubble Space Telescope's primary mirror?

At the heart of Hubble is a 2.4-meter primary mirror, which collects light from distant celestial objects.

Which astronomer is the Hubble Space Telescope named after?

The Hubble Space Telescope is named after American astronomer Edwin Hubble, who made groundbreaking discoveries about the expanding universe.

Which space agency is a primary partner with NASA in the Hubble Space Telescope project?

The Hubble Space Telescope is a joint project between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), with ESA contributing instruments and solar panels.

What type of orbit does the Hubble Space Telescope maintain around Earth?

Hubble was launched into a low Earth orbit, where it remains in operation, orbiting at an altitude of approximately 540 kilometers (340 miles) above Earth's surface.

What is the primary power source for the Hubble Space Telescope?

Hubble is powered by solar energy, collected by two wing-like solar arrays that convert sunlight into electrical energy to run its systems and charge its batteries.

Which of these is a key scientific instrument currently or previously onboard the Hubble Space Telescope?

The Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) is one of Hubble's advanced instruments, installed during Servicing Mission 4, capable of imaging across ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths. Other notable instruments include the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS).

Based on Hubble measurements, roughly how old is the universe?

Hubble Space Telescope measurements helped to determine that the age of the universe is approximately 13.8 billion years.