Satellite and Telescope Mission Insignia

On October 4, 1957, Russia launched a small metal ball into orbit around the Earth. Named Sputnik, this was the world's first artificial satellite, and it began a whole new era of beeping metallic monsters circling our planet. It is estimated that today there are more than 500 active satellites circling the Earth. If we include dead satellites, old rocket parts, and other space junk, it is estimated that there are about 8,000 objects currently in orbit around the Earth. The active satellites include communication satellites, spy satellites, weather satellites, and observation satellites such as space telescopes. Most people are familiar with the Hubble Space Telescope, but many people do not realize that it is not the only one. The Spitzer Space Telescope is currently in orbit studying the universe in infrared light. The Chandra X-ray Observatory observes the universe in X-rays, revealing details hidden in other wavelengths. The James Webb Space Telescope is currently under development. When launched, it will be as large as a tennis court and will be able to see much farther into the universe than has ever been possible before.