Hubble Space Telescope

Backdropped by the horizon of the blue and white Earth and the blackness of space, the Hubble Space Telescope floated gracefully after the release from Space Shuttle Columbia’s robot arm at the close of a successful servicing mission in 2002.

Launched in 1990, Hubble was the first telescope designed to be visited in space by astronauts to perform repairs, replace parts, and update its technology with new instruments. Five such servicing missions prolonged Hubble's life and increased the scientific capability of the observatory.

Credit: NASA