Question: : @adrian @beth @delma how do you protect telescopes that go into space (for example the hubble space telescope.) from getting damaged or hit by debris

Adrianos Golemis answered on 26 Jan 2016:

Nice question. I think most of all you try to place them at an orbit that is free of space debris. Now even if a small particle does eventually hit them, there is not much that you can do, as it would travel at a speed so immense that it is sure to create a lot of damage despite its small size. For spacecraft with humans inside we use some extra heavy and durable coating as shield to protect the crew. But this is hardly the case for space telescope, which in general are simply placed in “safe” orbits, with the scientists having their fingers crossed anyway!