Final answer:
The Hubble Space Telescope transmits data to Earth using high-frequency radio waves. This data is received by NASA's Deep Space Network, then relayed to the Space Telescope Science Institute for distribution to scientists. Corrective optics installed in 1993 have enabled Hubble to produce clear, undistorted observational data.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) sends information to Earth using high-frequency radio waves. It is equipped with antennas that transmit this data to the ground. Once Hubble captures images and other observational data, the information is converted into digital form, stored onboard, and then sent to the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland. STScI is responsible for the scientific operation of the telescope and distributes the observational data to astronomers worldwide.
The data journey begins when the HST's onboard computers package the data for transmission. It is then beamed down to NASA's Deep Space Network, a global network of large antennas and communication facilities that support interplanetary spacecraft missions. These facilities receive the telescope's signals and relay the information to the STScI. The data can then be accessed by scientists and astronomers for analysis, leading to many important discoveries about the universe.
Advanced instruments on Hubble have significantly enhanced its capabilities. For example, after the 1993 mission to correct its optics, the telescope has provided data free of atmospheric distortion, leading to observations of phenomena such as MACHOS, black hole candidates, and material disks around stars that could indicate planet formation.