[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 54 (Thursday, April 28, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF A RESOLUTION CELEBRATING THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
                  LAUNCH OF THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 28, 2005

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a 
resolution with my colleagues Mr. Ehlers, Chairman Boehlert, Ranking 
Member Gordon, Mr. Roscoe Bartlett, Mr. McDermott, and Mr. 
Ruppersberger recognizing the contributions to science resulting from 
the Hubble Space Telescope and congratulating all those who have helped 
make Hubble one of the most important astronomical instruments in 
history.
  On April 25, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched into 
orbit. In the years since the launch, Hubble has sent back images that 
have expanded our understanding of the universe beyond anyone's 
expectation. For the last fifteen years, school children, scientists, 
and interested citizens around the world have eagerly welcomed new 
images from Hubble--images that have provided an exciting keyhole into 
the wonders of our universe.
  Hubble's scientific contributions have amazed us all for fifteen 
years. Just this week, NASA and the European Space Agency released 
images taken by Hubble of the largest and sharpest images of the Eagle 
Nebula and the Whirlpool Galaxy. Last year Hubble detected oxygen and 
carbon in the atmosphere of a distant planet, the first time the 
elements have been found at a world outside our solar system. Hubble 
also contributed to the finding of new evidence about recently 
discovered ``dark energy.'' Hubble measured properties of light from 16 
exploding stars, or supernovas, to find that the dark energy that 
pervades the universe might be what Einstein originally called the 
``cosmological constant.'' This discovery supports the theory that 
instead of ripping apart, the cosmos will continue expanding very 
slowly for at least the next 30 billion years.
  These are just recent discoveries. Hubble remains one of the most 
productive scientific instruments in history, and certainly NASA's most 
productive scientific mission, accounting for 35 percent of all its 
discoveries in the last 20 years. The Hubble has provided proof of 
black holes, insights into the birth and death of stars, spectacular 
views of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9's collision with Jupiter, the age of 
the universe, and evidence that the expansion of the universe is 
accelerating. In short, Hubble has become a symbol of scientific 
excellence.
  In addition to its past and potentially future scientific 
discoveries, Hubble provides information used by approximately one 
million teachers per year across the U.S. Hubble has also opened up the 
wonders of space to our youth and to all our citizens. As we struggle 
to keep our students interested in the sciences, images from Hubble 
inspire our youth to continue to believe that they can become 
astronauts and astronomers. Hubble images have brought the wonders of 
space down to the level of the classroom.
  Of course, Hubble could not have been the success it has been without 
the countless scientists, engineers, civil servants, contractors and 
other individuals and organizations that built and launched Hubble and 
then utilized its images to great effect. They have all contributed to 
making Hubble the national treasure it is today. So this resolution is 
intended to honor them and their commitment to science and the benefits 
it brings to our country and our world.
  The Hubble has provided inspiration worldwide to young and old, 
scientists and non-scientists alike. I hope my colleagues will join me 
in celebrating the 15th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space 
Telescope and the knowledge we have gained about our universe from this 
important astronomical instrument.

                          ____________________