The most important space telescopes in history
The top 3 according to 0 votes from people: Hubble Space Telescope · James Webb Space Telescope · Chandra X-ray Observatory. (Updated Oct 14, 2025.)
From Hubble to James Webb, from X-rays to infrared: the space telescopes that showed us the origins of the universe, black holes and thousands of exoplanets. Which one contributed most?
Automatically translated (original in 繁體中文). See the original
Top 23
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1
Hubble Space Telescope
Launched in 1990, it took the famous "Hubble Deep Field" images.
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2
James Webb Space Telescope
Launched in 2021, with a 6.5-metre mirror, it studies the early universe in infrared.
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3
Chandra X-ray Observatory
Launched in 1999, the most sensitive X-ray telescope.
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4
Spitzer Space Telescope
Launched in 2003, it helped reveal the seven planets of TRAPPIST-1.
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5
Compton Gamma Ray Observatory
Launched in 1991, it detected thousands of gamma-ray bursts.
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6
Kepler Space Telescope
Launched in 2009, it confirmed more than 2,600 exoplanets.
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7
TESS
Launched in 2018, it scans almost the whole sky for planets.
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8
Gaia
Launched in 2013, it mapped more than 1.5 billion stars in 3D.
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9
Herschel Space Observatory
Launched in 2009, a 3.5-metre mirror for far-infrared.
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10
Planck
It precisely measured the cosmic microwave background.
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11
Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope
Launched in 2008, Compton's successor.
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12
Swift
Launched in 2004, it quickly pinpoints gamma-ray bursts.
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13
Einstein Observatory
1978, the first fully imaging X-ray telescope in space.
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14
XMM-Newton
The European X-ray telescope launched in 1999.
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15
NICER
Installed on the ISS in 2017, it studies neutron stars.
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16
WMAP
Launched in 2001, it mapped the cosmic microwave background before Planck.
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17
IRAS
1983, the first all-sky infrared survey.
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18
Hipparcos
1989, the first astrometry mission.
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19
Spektr-R
2011, Russia's space radio telescope.
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20
Uhuru
1970, the first X-ray astronomy satellite.
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21
ROSAT
It discovered more than 100,000 new X-ray sources.
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22
CHEOPS
Launched in 2019, it measures the sizes and densities of exoplanets.
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23
International Ultraviolet Explorer
1978, the first dedicated ultraviolet space telescope.
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