Scale Explorer

Space

How big is the Hubble Space Telescope?

Hubble Space Telescope

Length
13.2 m 43.3 ft
Width
4.2 m 13.8 ft
Primary mirror diameter
2.4 m 7 ft 10 in
Mass
≈ 12,246 kg 13.499 US tons approx.
Show
Human, Cow (Holstein), African elephant, Hubble Space Telescope drawn to the same scaleHuman: height 1.61–1.75 m. Cow (Holstein): height at shoulder ≈ 1.5 m. African elephant: shoulder height 2.5–3.7 m. Hubble Space Telescope: length 13.2 m.Human: 1.61–1.75 mCow (Holstein): ≈ 1.5 mAfrican elephant: 2.5–3.7 mHubble Space Telescope: 13.2 mHubble Space Telescope13.2 mAfrican elephant2.5–3.7 mHuman1.61–1.75 mCow (Holstein)≈ 1.5 m
Everything is drawn to the same scale, standing on the same ground line. Silhouettes are simplified outlines scaled to the measured dimension. A faded outline shows the top of a size range.

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Dimensions

MeasurementMetricImperialNotesSource
Length 13.2 m 43.3 ft Overall length of the telescope (43.5 ft) [1]
Width 4.2 m 13.8 ft Width at the back, where the science instruments are housed (14 ft) [1]
Primary mirror diameter 2.4 m 7 ft 10 in Main mirror (94.5 in) [1]
Mass ≈ 12,246 kg ≈ 13.499 US tons Weight about 27,000 lb. Approximate [1]

About the Hubble Space Telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope launched in 1990 that orbits Earth above the atmosphere. NASA gives it a length of 13.2 m (43.5 ft), a width of 4.2 m (14 ft) at the instrument end, and a weight of about 12,246 kg (27,000 lb), roughly the size and weight of a school bus. Its main mirror is 2.4 m across.

  • NASA says Hubble is approximately the same size and weight as a school bus. [1]
  • Hubble's 2.4 m (94.5 in) primary mirror is polished so smoothly that, scaled to the diameter of Earth, no bump would stand more than 15 cm (6 in) tall. [1]
  • Hubble is a Cassegrain reflector powered by two solar arrays. [1]

How many fit?

  • ≈ 7.9 × Human · height lined up end to end match the Hubble Space Telescope · length
  • ≈ 150 × Human · body mass on the scales weigh as much as Hubble Space Telescope · mass
  • ≈ 2.7 × Car · length lined up end to end match the Hubble Space Telescope · length
  • ≈ 7.4 × Car · curb weight on the scales weigh as much as Hubble Space Telescope · mass

Counts divide one sourced figure by another. "End to end" uses each object's main measurement; weight and volume rows appear only when both figures are sourced.

How it compares

  • 7.9× The Hubble Space Telescope is about 7.9 times as long as an average adult is tall. See side by side
  • 2.7× The Hubble Space Telescope is about 2.7 times as long as a mid-size car. See side by side
  • 1.1× The Hubble Space Telescope is about as long as a city bus. See side by side
  • 1.1× The Hubble Space Telescope is about as long as a Brachiosaurus is tall. See side by side
  • 1/1.8 A tennis court is about 1.8 times as long as the Hubble Space Telescope. See side by side
  • 1/3 A Boeing 737 is about 3 times as long as the Hubble Space Telescope. See side by side

Factors compare the length of the Hubble Space Telescope with each object’s own main measurement (height for a human). Where a size varies, the factor is given as a range.

Notes on these figures

  • Dimensions exclude the two solar arrays, whose size NASA's design page does not give.

Sources

  1. NASA Science, Hubble Design. Accessed 25 September 2026.

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