Find us on: Home Images Video & Audio News Explore The Mission Artist concept of the Spitzer Space Telescope Mission Overview NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope was launched on August 25, 2003 from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Base. Drifting in a unique Earth-trailing orbit around the Sun, Spitzer sees an optically invisible universe dominated by dust and stars. Fast Facts Where is Spitzer Now? Launch of the Spitzer Space Telescope. History For years, astronomers have tried to place telescopes above atmosphere, to catch a glimpse of an otherwise hidden infrared universe. This section explores the heritage of infrared astronomy, which culminates with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, the most sensitive infrared space observatory ever launched. Learn about infrared astronomy's: Early History Recent History Spitzer's Heritage CTA being prepared for vibration testing Technology NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope is a technological marvel, featuring many innovations never before used on a space mission. It may seem like a contradiction, but Spitzer needs to be simultaneously "cold" and "warm" to function properly. Learn how Spitzer achieves this balance with the: Cryogenic Telescope Assembly The Spacecraft Innovations Infrared imagery Science The Universe is continually radiating a wealth of information to Earth, sending signals in wide-spectrum of light. However, not all of these messages reach the ground. In space, any object that has a temperature above zero Kelvin (- 459.67 degrees Fahrenheit, or -273.15 degrees Celsius) radiates in the infrared. Learn how NASA's infrared Spitzer Space Telescope contributes to the study of: Stars Planet Forming Disks Exoplanets Galaxies and the Universe's Origins Lyman Spitzer Jr. (1914 - 1997) Ten years before the launch of Sputnik, and 12 years before NASA formed, Lyman Spitzer Jr. proposed that an observatory be put in space to avoid the blurring effects of our atmosphere. This effort led to the launch of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, and ultimately the telescope named in his honor, the Spitzer Space Telescope. Continue Reading Watch an interview with Lyman Spitzer Jr. Spitzer Blog Authors Ann Marie Cody Tim Pyle Danielle Miller Mike Werner Carolyn Brinkworth Gordon Squires Michelle Cluver Luisa Rebull Robert Hurt Feedback • Mailing List • Privacy Policy • Image Use Policy • Credits • Legacy Site The Spitzer Space Telescope is a NASA mission managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This website is maintained by the Spitzer Science Center, located on the campus of the California Institute of Technology and part of NASA's Infrared Processing and Analysis Center.