Satellite Snaps Rare Image of Hubble Space Telescope at 36

On April 23, 2026, Vantor's WorldView Legion satellite captured a rare non-Earth image of the Hubble Space Telescope from just 61.8 km away, revealing its cylindrical body, thermal shielding, solar arrays, and open aperture door. The image was released on April 24, Hubble's 36th birthday. Vantor operates six WorldView Legion satellites orbiting at roughly 322 miles above Earth, capable of resolving objects as small as 11.8 inches. The Hubble shot was taken by WorldView Legion 4. Launched in 1990 aboard the space shuttle Discovery, Hubble continues to operate despite signs of aging, recently collaborating with the James Webb Space Telescope to image Saturn. The upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, expected to succeed Hubble, will process in one year what would take Hubble 2,000 years, sending 11 terabytes of data daily.