Satellite Captures Rare View of Hubble Space Telescope on its 36th Birthday

It’s famous for picturing far-off galaxies, redefining how the public sees the Universe, but as the Hubble Space Telescope turns 36, another satellite has snapped a birthday photo showing Hubble in all its glory.

Vantor used one of its satellites as it passed Hubble while 62 kilometers away (38 miles) to capture a rarely-seen view of a space icon.

“Collected on April 23, 2026, by one of Vantor’s WorldView Legion satellites, this remarkable non-Earth image showcases Hubble from just 61.8 km away — an incredible perspective of one of humanity’s most iconic scientific instruments,” Vantor writes on X.

“With a space sample distance of 4.0 cm, Hubble’s signature cylindrical body, gleaming thermal shielding, and extended solar arrays are clearly visible, along with the open aperture door at the front of the telescope.”

Hubble turned 36 on April 24, the day Vantor shared the post. “For over three decades, Hubble has expanded our understanding of the Universe — delivering breathtaking imagery and groundbreaking science that continue to inspire,” Vantor says glowingly.

Space.com notes that Vantor operates six WorldView Legion satellites that orbit at roughly 322 miles above the Earth. For reference, the International Space Station flies around 70 miles lower, 250 miles above terra firma.

Despite being hundreds of miles above Earth, the Vantor WorldView Legion satellites can resolve objects on Earth as small as 11.8 inches (30 centimeters). The Hubble shot was captured by WorldView Legion 4.

Twilight of its Life

Launched aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1990, Hubble has been a huge success; although it has shown signs of old age in recent years. Nevertheless, it continues to send home sensational photos, including joining forces with the James Webb Space Telescope to capture jaw-dropping views of Saturn.

Last week, PetaPixel reported on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is expected to pick up from the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said that what would have taken Hubble 2,000 years to capture and process, Roman will do in a single year. Roman will send 11 terabytes of data to Earth every single day.

Image credits: Vantor