Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Creation of the Hubble Space Telescope

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Experimental Astronomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Hubble Space Telescope has been the most successful space astronomy project to date, producing images that put the public in awe and images and spectra that have produced many scientific discoveries. It is the natural culmination of a dream envisioned when rocket flight into space was first projected and a goal set for the US space program soon after NASA was created. The design and construction period lasted almost two decades and its operations have already lasted almost as long. The capabilities of the observatory have evolved and expanded with periodic upgrading of its instrumentation, thus realizing the advantages of its unique design. The success of this long-lived observatory is closely tied to the availability of the Space Shuttle and the end of the Shuttle program means that the end of the Hubble program will follow before long.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Acknowledgements

The HST would not have been created without the efforts of scientists, managers, and engineers working in universities, government facilities, and corporations too numerous to list here. Lyman Spitzer was the original scientist-advocate who was joined by John Bahcall at a critical stage in convincing the legislative decision-makers of the USA that the HST was worth the price. Jean R. Olivier was NASA’s chief engineer for the HST throughout its design and development. Arthur D. Code enabled the author to enter the field of astronomy in one of the first departments to consider space astronomy to be real astronomy. He also led the efforts to establish the highly successful way in which this observatory is used to do science. It is well stated “Success has many fathers, but failure dies an orphan.” These people are particularly worth acknowledging as they were among that core group who retained faith in the project when the HST project went through its darkest days.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA

    C. R. O’Dell

Authors
  1. C. R. O’Dell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. R. O’Dell.

Additional information

400 Years of Astronomical Telescopes.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

O’Dell, C.R. Creation of the Hubble Space Telescope. Exp Astron 25, 261–272 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-008-9130-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-008-9130-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation