In the 1960s, new technology made telescopes and astronomy based on infrared, ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma-ray emissions possible. The invisible was suddenly observable.
Sensitive detectors were developed to pick up rays in every region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Such instruments expanded horizons of exploration and allowed the study of young stars, hot stars, and even black holes.
But despite hypersensitive equipment, the Earth's atmosphere still presented a barrier that made accurate observations and interpretations of emissions almost impossible. Astronomers and other scientists, frustrated by having such innovative technology and not being able to use it to its full capacity, began to design observatories that could circle the Earth above the atmosphere. The view from orbit would offer scientists the chance to analyze spectral rays with as little interference as possible.
