Fortunately, NASA made plans for repairing the Hubble Space Telescope throughout its projected 15-year orbit.
Two months after the Hubble Space Telescope’s launch in 1990, it was discovered that the primary mirror had not been ground properly, among other problems.
The telescope could not be focused.
While this was a major embarrassment, the dangerous and complex repair mission was a coup.
The space shuttle Endeavor was launched in December 1993.
Its crew captured the Hubble Space Telescope, fixed it, and released it successfully.
The images and data returned since have more than outweighed the early difficulties, promising that the Hubble Space Telescope will be remembered for its scientific achievements rather than its flaws.
Many Hubble observations have led to breakthroughs in astrophysics, such as accurately determining the rate of expansion of the universe.
The Hubble Space Telescope is named after the astronomer Edwin Hubble.
