Which NASA space telescope was launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in April 1990?

The Hubble Space Telescope was launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in April 1990.

Discovery lifted off on 24 April 1990 during mission STS-31, and astronauts released Hubble into low Earth orbit the following day. Its position above most of Earth’s atmosphere allows it to capture sharp images in visible, ultraviolet and near-infrared light.

Hubble’s main mirror had a flaw in its shape, discovered soon after launch. Astronauts corrected the problem during the 1993 first servicing mission by installing corrective optics and updated instruments. Later servicing flights extended the observatory’s capabilities and working life.

Hubble has contributed to measurements of cosmic expansion, studies of galaxies and observations of planets, stars and nebulae. James Webb launched in 2021 and observes mainly in infrared wavelengths, so it is a complementary observatory rather than a replacement with identical capabilities.