April 24, 1990

The Hubble Space Telescope is launched into orbit. The Space Shuttle Discovery launched into space one of the most powerful observatories ever created. At the time, few people knew the Missouri connection. The telescope was named after Edwin Hubble, who grew up in Marshfield before becoming a world leader in astrophysics and known as the “Father of Modern Cosmology.”

Based upon content from the book Missouri 365: This Day in Missouri History by John W. Brown, broadcaster and Missouri historian. Get your copy at Reedy Press.

Photo by NASA on Unsplash