1
Select the correct text in the passage.
Which detail best develops the central idea in the text?
About the Hubble Space Telescope
adapted excerpt from NASA and Space Telescope Science Institute
Orbiting 360 miles above Earth, the Hubble Space Telescope is positioned high above the blurring effects of the atmosphere. From this vantage
point, it captures Images with 10 times the typical clarity of any ground-based telescope and views not only visible light but also wavelengths of
near-infrared and ultraviolet light that cannot reach Earth's surface. To operate from orbit, the observatory works like any other scientific or
Imaging spacecraft; it converts the optical data It collects Into electrical signals that are transmitted back to Earth. It must also withstand the
airless, high-radiation, and harsh thermal environment of space.
Unlike most other spacecraft, however, Hubble was designed to be serviced periodically by astronauts and so was built with modular
components that are astronaut-friendly to handle and replace. This design strategy has enabled it to operate longer than ordinary spacecraft
and to benefit from the technological advancements of the last two decades. Astronauts have visited the telescope five times to upgrade its
computers, mechanisms, and instruments. These servicing missions have kept the observatory at the forefront of discovery by providing it with
Increasingly sensitive and accurate components. The last of these servicing calls was in May 2009.