What is the Hubble Space Telescope?
Q: What is the Hubble Space Telescope?
A: The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is the first big optical space observatory telescope. It was made by both NASA and the ESA working together and it can observe 24 hours a day.
Q: How large is the main mirror of the HST?
A: The main mirror of the HST is 94.5 inches (2.4 meters) across.
Q: What makes it possible to see things from far away with the HST?
A: Being above the atmosphere means it can see the sky more clearly than a telescope on the ground, which allows for observation of objects that would be nearly impossible to see from anywhere else.
Q: When was Hubble launched into space?
A: Hubble was launched into space on April 24, 1990.
Q: How fast does Hubble travel in low Earth orbit?
A: In low Earth orbit, Hubble travels at 5 miles (10 km) per second.
Q: What size is Hubble compared to other objects?
A: The size of Hubble is comparable to that of a large school bus, but still small enough to fit inside a Space Shuttle cargo bay.
Q: Was there ever any repair work done on Hubble after its launch? A: Yes, repairs were done in 1993 due to problems in picture quality.
