In April 1990, the crew of Discovery deployed the Hubble Space Telescope, a highly-anticipated observatory, amid expectations that it would see to the edge of the universe and the beginning of time. Within days, excitement turned to dismay and embarrassment when blurry images pointed to a flawed mirror. The 1993 repair mission and recovery of the Hubble Space Telescope’s precision capabilities was a triumph; four more servicing missions extended the life and advanced the technology of this peerless space observatory. Join curator Valerie Neal as she discusses how, at 25 years and counting, the Hubble is vastly expanding our knowledge of space and time.
Meet at the Museum "Great Seal", in the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall on the first floor.
About the Ask an Expert lecture series: Every Wednesday at noon in the National Mall Building, a Museum staff member talks to the public about the history, collection, or personalities related to a specific artifact or exhibition in the Museum.
The test telescope was used for a variety of tests, such as handling equipment and procedures checkout. It was also subjected to the same noise and vibration (structural dynamics) that the flight telescope would experience during launch, as well as the extreme temperatures to be encountered in space. Technicians used it as a test bed to lay out wiring harnesses and evaluate features that would enable the telescope to be repaired in orbit.