 Space telescope, a space telescope or space observatory is an instrument located in outer space to observe distant planets, galaxies and other astronomical objects. Space telescopes avoid many of the problems of ground-based observatories, such as light pollution and distortion of electromagnetic radiation scintillation. In addition, ultraviolet frequencies, X-rays and gamma rays are blocked by the Earth's atmosphere, so they can only be observed from space. Thea rise by Lehmann Spitzer in 1946, the first operational space telescopes were the American Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 0802 launched in 1968 and the Soviet Orion 1 Ultraviolet Telescope aboard Space Station SLUT-1 in 1971. Space telescopes are distinct from other imaging satellites pointed toward Earth for purposes of espionage, weather analysis and other types of information gathering.