When was the Hubble Space Telescope launched into orbit?
The Hubble Space Telescope launched on the 24th of April 1990 aboard STS-31. This launch occurred after years of delays caused by budget cuts and the Challenger disaster.
Questions about Hubble Space Telescope
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who was the driving force behind securing funding for the Hubble Space Telescope project in the 1970s?
Nancy Grace Roman served as program scientist and lobbied Congress relentlessly to secure funding during the 1970s. Her efforts led to a Senate agreement to fund half the original budget despite initial threats to cut the entire project.
What specific optical error affected the primary mirror of the Hubble Space Telescope after launch?
Analysis revealed the outer perimeter of the mirror was too flat by about 2200 nanometers due to an incorrectly assembled null corrector device. This spherical aberration caused light to spread over a radius of more than one arcsecond instead of concentrating within 0.1 arcseconds.
How many servicing missions repaired and upgraded systems between December 1993 and May 2009?
Five Space Shuttle missions repaired and upgraded systems between December 1993 and May 2009. These operations included installing corrective optics packages like COSTAR and replacing failed gyroscopes, solar arrays, and data-handling units.
When did researchers announce GN-z11 as the farthest confirmed galaxy observed by the Hubble Space Telescope?
Researchers announced GN-z11 as the farthest confirmed galaxy in March 2016. The telescope also identified WHL0137-LS nicknamed Earendel as the farthest individual star ever seen in 2022.