The Challenges of Telescope Technology.
TL;DR
The mirrors at the heart of modern telescopes are delicate and can be defaced by bird residue, frost, and even bullets. However, they are tougher than you might think, and observatories periodically wash and recoat them. The Hubble Space Telescope famously launched with a misshapen mirror in 1990, but astronauts were able to fix it. The James Webb Space Telescope was launched successfully in 2021 but was pelted by a micrometeorite shortly after. The cosmos has a way of guarding its secrets.
From Bullets to 'Bird Residue,' the Many Trials of Telescopes The New York Times
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