What is the name of NASA’s space telescope launched in 1990 that transformed visible-light astronomy?

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is the space telescope launched in 1990 that transformed visible-light astronomy.

The Space Shuttle Discovery deployed Hubble on April 24, 1990, during STS-31. Because it orbits above most of Earth’s atmosphere, Hubble can capture exceptionally sharp images in visible, ultraviolet, and near-infrared wavelengths.

A flaw in its primary mirror initially produced blurred images. Astronauts corrected the problem during the 1993 STS-61 servicing mission by installing corrective optics and upgraded instruments.

Hubble is often confused with the James Webb Space Telescope, which launched in 2021 and specializes primarily in infrared astronomy. Hubble’s long operating life has produced major observations of galaxies, nebulae, stellar evolution, and the expanding universe.