Hubble
ActiveLaunched in 1990·LEO — 547 km
For 35 years, Hubble has revolutionized our understanding of the universe. Its images of nebulae and galaxies rank among the most iconic in history.
Main objectives
- Image the cosmos in visible and ultraviolet light with unmatched resolution from orbit.
- Measure the expansion of the universe and its cosmological age.
- Serve as a reference for ground-based and orbital telescopes.
Did you know?
It has contributed to more than 19,000 published scientific papers. Operated from the ground in Maryland, it remains the most-cited telescope in astronomy.
Timeline
Apr 24, 1990
Launch
Carried aboard the shuttle Discovery (mission STS-31).
Dec 04, 1993
Servicing mission 1
Correction of the optical aberration with COSTAR.
Dec 01, 1995
Hubble Deep Field
10 days of exposure on 1/24 millionth of the sky.
May 11, 2009
Servicing mission 5
Final servicing mission, added WFC3 and COS.
Hubble
Instruments
[04]Specifications
Mass
Orbit
Power
Primary mirror
Discoveries
[05]- Iconic imageBreakthroughHubble Ultra Deep FieldMar 09, 2004 ↗
- Iconic imageBreakthroughHubble Deep FieldDec 01, 1995 ↗
- Iconic imageBreakthroughThe Pillars of CreationApr 01, 1995
- ObservationMajorInterstellar comet 12P/Pons-BrooksJan 11, 2024 ↗
- MeasurementBreakthroughAtmosphere of an exoplanetNov 27, 2001 ↗