This article is within the scope of WikiProject Astronomy, which collaborates on articles related to Astronomy on Wikipedia.AstronomyWikipedia:WikiProject AstronomyTemplate:WikiProject AstronomyAstronomy
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Spaceflight, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of spaceflight on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.SpaceflightWikipedia:WikiProject SpaceflightTemplate:WikiProject Spaceflightspaceflight
2012 National Reconnaissance Office space telescope donation to NASA is within the scope of WikiProject Espionage, which aims to improve Wikipedia's coverage of espionage, intelligence, and related topics. If you would like to participate, visit the project page, or contribute to the discussion.EspionageWikipedia:WikiProject EspionageTemplate:WikiProject EspionageEspionage
This article is within the scope of WikiProject United States, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of topics relating to the United States of America on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the ongoing discussions.
"the space agency must still pay for the cost of instruments and electronics for the telescopes". Isn't a telescope an operative "instrument" here? Normal people don't get this. They ask what instruments does the instrument need? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 136.186.248.250 (talk) 23:27, 19 January 2018 (UTC)[reply]
A telescope just collects and focuses light. You need an instrument to then do something with that light e.g. a camera to take an image, or a spectrograph to analyse the wavelengths of the light. Both require an image detector to record the results. It's like someone giving you a digital camera body that only contained a lens, no electronics - potentially useful, but you wouldn't be able to take a photograph with it, more parts are required to make a working device. Modest Geniustalk14:56, 22 June 2021 (UTC)[reply]