On April 24, 1990 , the Hubble Space Telescope was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery , marking a revolutionary moment in space exploration . Floating above Earth's atmosphere, Hubble has gifted humanity with some of the most breathtaking images of the universe and has reshaped our understanding of space, galaxies, stars, and planets . π§π°️ The Road to Launch: Designing the Hubble Space Telescope The idea for a space-based observatory was first proposed in the 1940s , but it wasn’t until the 1970s that NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) joined forces to develop what would become the Hubble Space Telescope . It took years of engineering, collaboration , and $2.5 billion to bring this vision to life. Crafted with a 2.4-meter primary mirror and sophisticated scientific instruments, Hubble was designed to capture light beyond Earth’s atmospheric interference , allowing it to peer into distant galaxies, nebulae, and black holes . ππ Why Space Matters: The I...