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The Hubble Space telescope gives us a window into the universe. Because of its far-reaching power, we can see nebulae, galaxies and even quasars. But why was this telescope made? What events occurred to get it into space? Read this article to learn of the history and importance of the Hubble Space telescope.
The Hubble's founder, Edwin Hubble, was born in 1889 in America. As a child, he was addicted to the tales of Jules Verne. After studying law at Oxford, the young Hubble decided that his heart belonged to space exploration. Hubble was one of the first to prove that stars lie beyond our own solar system. He was also one of the first to note that the universe is expanding as a result of the Big Bang. His law, which deals with the speed of galaxies relative to their position to the earth, became the basis for the entire Big bang theory. Because of these discoveries, and an esteemed life in space discovery, the Hubble was named after Edwin Hubble before its 1990's launch.
The Hubble Space telescope is monitored by the Space Telescope Science Institute at Johns Hopkins University, a division of NASA. Its was made by the combined forces of NASA and the ESA, or the European Space Agency. The telescope was actually designed as an observatory from which scientists could study deep reaches of outer space. NASA equipped the telescope with places for a shuttle to deploy and make repairs on a regular basis. Designs for the Hubble exist from the seventies, but it was not until the nineties that this project became possible.
The Hubble Space telescope contains a wide array of instruments that it can use to measure and record outer space. It has cameras built into its sides, sensors for heat and light, spectrographs, and a variety of tools that astronauts can use to fine-tuning and repair during checkups. It is interesting to note that when the Hubble was first launched into space, a tiny flaw in one of the telescopes produced blurred, distorted images. After an unprecedented space mission to repair the flaw, which most of the world watched in suspense, the Hubble was fixed to produce the clear, detailed images we see today.
The Hubble's most important tools, by name, are the following: two wide planetary field cameras, a near infrared camera, several specialized multi-object spectrometers, a faint object camera, and a corrective optics axial replacement. These items are regularly checked by space crews every two and a half years. The original plan for the Hubble was that it would be a traveling telescope, returning to earth every 5 years for refurbishing. This is now not the case. After its expensive, rocky launch, NASA and ESA made a joint decision to leave the Hubble in space, and instead service it through astronaut trips. The telescope is now expected to have a fifteen-year life-span, after which its capabilities will fade, and it will turn into a satellite revolving around the earth.
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