WorldView Legion shoots intimate Hubble portrait for 36th birthday
TL;DR Summary
To celebrate Hubble Space Telescope's 36th birthday, Vantor's WorldView Legion satellite captured a close-up image of Hubble from about 61.8 km away, revealing its cylindrical body, thermal shielding, extended solar arrays and the open front aperture. Collected on April 23, 2026, the shot provides a rare up-close view of the iconic instrument that launched in 1990 (aboard Space Shuttle Discovery) and continues to contribute to astronomy; NASA is hopeful Hubble can operate through 2035 despite its aging hardware.
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