Space Telescopes

Image courtesy of NASA/Jack Pfaller

The Delta II rocket was launched on March 6, 2009 to carry
the Kepler Space Telescope to orbit.

Since the Hubble Space Telescope was launched in 1990, astronomers have been able to see farther and farther back in time and make more discoveries than ever before about the universe, its origins, and its evolution. Although the Hubble Space Telescope is the most famous space telescope, numerous other space telescopes, such as the Kepler Space Telescope, have made their orbits around the Earth. It is through their views of space that scientists are able to see different perspectives of the sky surrounding our planet.

Essential Questions

• What is the importance of space telescopes?
• What are some of the most prominent space telescopes and their characteristics?
• How do the costs of constructing, launching, and maintaining space telescopes compare to the advantages of running them?