Hubble Space Telescope: From Punchline to Stellar Clarity

Today marks the thirtieth anniversary of the first servicing mission for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), which was launched with a flaw in its main mirror that reduced its capabilities. The mission was crucial for NASA's reputation and involved replacing the mirror, upgrading the telescope's components, and fixing other issues. The success of the mission restored the HST's functionality and paved the way for four subsequent servicing missions. The HST has since become a science powerhouse, providing stunning imagery and contributing to our understanding of the universe. However, the telescope recently faced new challenges with ongoing gyroscope issues that require fixing.