The Great Observatories: A Triumph of the Human Spirit

Abstract: In January of 1985, more than 40 years ago, a group of astronomers met with NASA officials to map out the future of NASA space astronomy. Their efforts led to the Great Observatories program, linking four powerful space telescopes to study the heavens in four regions of the spectrum. The successful launch and operation of the Spitzer Space Telescope in the Fall of 2003 completed the launch of the Great Observatories, almost 20 years after the program was formulated, and two of the Observatories, Hubble and Chandra, continue to operate very productively. The scientific and public education results of the Great Observatories are well-known. Here we emphasize that fulfilling the extraordinary vision of the Great Observatories was a triumph of human ingenuity, dedication, and determination.