--- title: Space Missions & Telescopes description: This topic covers the engineering, objectives, and history of space-based observatories and exploratory probes. Learners will understand how instruments like Hubble, James Webb, and interplanetary missions collect data and advance our knowledge of the cosmos. category: sciences subcategory: astronomy-and-astrophysics difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced url: /subject/space-missions-and-telescopes --- # Space Missions & Telescopes This topic covers the engineering, objectives, and history of space-based observatories and exploratory probes. Learners will understand how instruments like Hubble, James Webb, and interplanetary missions collect data and advance our knowledge of the cosmos. ## Available Resources 1 Books • 1 Courses • 7 Websites ## Websites ### 1. NASA James Webb Space Telescope Official mission hub for the infrared observatory launched in 2021, covering instrument and orbit documentation, commissioning history, captioned image releases, and published science results. Shows how the telescope was designed, is operated, and what it has observed. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://webb.nasa.gov/ **Tags:** jwst, nasa, infrared-astronomy, space-telescopes, mission-science ### 2. webbtelescope.org The official James Webb Space Telescope site, providing mission overview, instrument details, observing programs, and up-to-date news. It also offers images, data access, and education resources about space missions and telescopes. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/ **Tags:** websites, science-research, astronomy--space ### 3. The Planetary Society Site of the nonprofit space advocacy group co-founded by Carl Sagan, with mission news, explainers on planets, moons and small bodies, and material on planetary defense and space policy. Keeps readers current on robotic exploration and why particular missions matter scientifically. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://planetary.org **Tags:** space-exploration, planetary-science, space-missions, space-policy, planetary-defense ### 4. esa.int/Science_Exploration ESA Science & Exploration is the European Space Agency’s portal for space science and exploration, featuring news, mission overviews, research results, and educational resources. It covers current and upcoming science missions across astronomy, planetary science, heliophysics, and Earth observation, with data, images, videos, and articles. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://esa.int/Science_Exploration **Tags:** websites, science-research, astronomy--space ### 5. ESA Planck Mission Official European Space Agency site for the Planck space telescope, which mapped the cosmic microwave background. It explains the mission and instruments and links to all-sky maps, data releases and papers, helping readers understand how Planck measured the age and composition of the universe. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://planck.esa.int **Tags:** cosmic-microwave-background, cosmology, planck-mission, space-telescopes, esa ### 6. Space.com Established news and explainer site covering spaceflight and astronomy. It reports on crewed and robotic missions, launches, space agencies, telescopes and night-sky events, and publishes background features that help readers follow current exploration programmes and understand their scientific goals. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://space.com **Tags:** space-news, spaceflight, space-missions, astronomy, launches ### 7. European Southern Observatory (ESO) Official site of the intergovernmental observatory that operates the Very Large Telescope, ALMA partnership facilities and the Extremely Large Telescope under construction in Chile. It publishes press releases, research results, image archives and education material explaining how ground-based observatories are built and used. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://eso.org **Tags:** ground-based-observatories, very-large-telescope, extremely-large-telescope, astronomical-instrumentation, astronomy-news ## Courses ### 1. Astronomy: Exploring Time and Space This course is designed for anyone who is interested in learning more about modern astronomy. We will help you get up to date on the most recent astronomical discoveries while also providing support at an introductory level for those who have no background in science. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.coursera.org/learn/astro **Tags:** online course, modern astronomy, cosmology, solar system, university of arizona ## Books ### 1. Hubble's Universe **Author:** Terence Dickinson Large-format photographic tour of what the Hubble Space Telescope has recorded, pairing images of nebulae, star clusters, planets and distant galaxies with explanations of how the orbiting observatory gathers them and what each picture revealed about the universe. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0228102170?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** books, science-research, astronomy--space --- *This content is part of Dantes.io - Your Treasure Map to Knowledge* *Curated by humans at Dantes.io. Personal study use welcome; republishing this curation requires permission (team@dantes.io).* View this page online: https://dantes.io/subject/space-missions-and-telescopes