In 1972, Action Comics no. 419 made its mark not only as a cult favorite in the Superman series, but also in the realm of cosmic science. Within the pages of this comic book, the character Clark Kent, otherwise known as Superman, announced the launch of the new NASA satellite, the Large Space Telescope (LST) – a design shockingly similar to the actual Hubble telescope, which wasn’t launched until 1990.
This uncanny resemblance was no coincidence. Piet Simmons, the Director of Space Astronomy at Grumman Aerospace Corporation, had a hand in shaping this comic book. It was Simmons who advocated for the inclusion of the space telescope in the storyline. Recognizing the immense popularity of Superman comics, Simmons sought to leverage this platform to garner support for the creation of a real space telescope. To pique public interest and, more crucially, secure Congressional backing, Simmons organized a meeting between the DC Comics team and Grumman engineers, showcasing a model of the upcoming telescope. The outcome of this collaboration was displayed in the pages of Action Comics No. 419, featuring Superman alongside the LST in orbit.
Following this, Simmons personally distributed copies of the comic book to every member of Congress in Washington. He successfully argued that mentioning the telescope in a comic book would generate widespread interest. Despite initial skepticism from the scientific community, who found the idea of using comics to advocate for a serious project unconventional, Simmons’s fervor proved persuasive. The comic book became an integral part of the lobbying efforts for securing funding for the LST, although significant hurdles remained ahead for the project.
After a prolonged campaign to garner support and extensive negotiations, Congress finally approved funding for the telescope in 1977. Thirteen years later, in 1990, the telescope was launched into orbit under the moniker of the Hubble telescope. Today, the Hubble telescope continues to delve into the mysteries of the cosmos, aiding scientists in making groundbreaking discoveries ranging from capturing images of distant stars’ surfaces to confirming the existence of ultra-massive black holes.
Thus, through the zeal of dedicated scientists and the unexpected alliance with the world of comics, the Hubble telescope has emerged as one of humanity’s premier scientific instruments, unraveling the enigmatic secrets of the Universe.