Batteries will die. Generators will run out of fuel. Both of these are heavier than solar arrays anyway. Solar arrays convert energy from the sun.
Solar energy, all space equipment uses solar panels
HST gets its power from 2 large solar panels, located on either side of the spacecraft's main body. They are programmed to move to the optimal angle for sunlight absorption as it orbits the Earth, regardless of the angle of the spacecraft itself. The original arrays were replaced on HST Servicing Mission 1 in December 1993, due to extensive warping caused by the constant change in thermal temperatures as it passed through the day/night terminator orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes. The arrays installed during SM1 were replaced on Servicing Mission 3B in March 2002. The new ones are much heavier, more efficient, and designed to better withstand the extreme thermal changes, which can go from 140°C to - 140°C.
The Hubble Space Telescope collects solar radiation by means of large solar panels covered with photovoltaic cells, and derives its electric power that way, which is used to operate it, warm and cool it, and run its communications systems. It's controlled from Earth, and sends its images and other data to Earth, by means of radio. It's completely uninhabited, and is in a gravitational orbit of the Earth so it needs no propulsion.
No, you can change the magnification of the telescope by simply changing the eyepiece. The two most important powers of the telescope, light-gathering power and resolving power, depend on the diameter of the telescope, but it does not control the magnification.
Light telescopes with a diameter of 30-50 meters are currently planned; probably larger ones will be built in the future. I believe the largest radio telescope has a diameter of about 300 meters. On the other hand, it is possible to connect (through a technique called interferometry) telescopes that are thousands of kilometers apart, so they have the resolving power (but not the light-gathering capacity) of a single telescope that size.
The Hubble Space Telescope gets its electricity from two large solar panels that convert sunlight into electrical power. These solar panels provide the necessary energy to power all of the telescope's systems and instruments.
It uses solar panels.
HST didn't get extra panels; the original arrays were replaced during HST Servicing Mission 2 in 1997, due to extreme warping of the arrays caused by thermal changes in space as HST moved through the Earth's terminator (the point in orbit where night becomes day, and day becomes night) every 97 minutes. The replacement arrays were themselves replaced on one of the last 2 servicing missions, to ensure power for as long as possible until HST is brought down in the next few years.
There's no such thing as "inexhaustible energy". However, the Hubble is powered by solar cells, and the Sun is expected to last billions of years longer than the Hubble itself, so as far as the telescope is concerned it's "inexhaustible".
The Hubble Space Telescope is powered by solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity. These solar panels charge the spacecraft's batteries, which provide power to operate its scientific instruments and communication systems.
Being in perpetual orbit, Hubble needs a power supply that is constant and needs little if any maintenance. Solar power fits that bill. Hubble is fitted with two twenty-five foot solar panels that produce 2,800 watts of power.
Hubble refers to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). It was launched on April 24 1990 from the space shuttle and has returned spectacular pictures to Earth of the solar system and beyond. See the Related Link below for more details. If you click on the 'Operations' tab when you are in the link, you can also see where Hubble is now, and when it will next pass over your location.
Solar energy, all space equipment uses solar panels
HST gets its power from 2 large solar panels, located on either side of the spacecraft's main body. They are programmed to move to the optimal angle for sunlight absorption as it orbits the Earth, regardless of the angle of the spacecraft itself. The original arrays were replaced on HST Servicing Mission 1 in December 1993, due to extensive warping caused by the constant change in thermal temperatures as it passed through the day/night terminator orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes. The arrays installed during SM1 were replaced on Servicing Mission 3B in March 2002. The new ones are much heavier, more efficient, and designed to better withstand the extreme thermal changes, which can go from 140°C to - 140°C.
Most satellites, including the Hubble, use solar panels for electrical power. These are functionally the same as the solar photo-voltaic panels now becoming more widely used here on Earth to generate electrical power from the Sun.For deep space probes out to Jupiter and beyond, sunlight is too weak to provide much power. These probes use nuclear radio-isotope power generators. The problem with these is that as the radioisotopes decay, they slowly lose power. At some point within the next couple of years, the Voyager probes launched back in 1976 will have insufficient power to keep its radio transmitters active, and they will fall silent forever.
For power ! The telescope has a bank of rechargeable batteries on board. They power the on-board instruments (including the data-links back to earth, and are charged by the solar panels pointing towards the sun.
HST runs on electricity supplied by massive Power Supply Units, which get their electricity from the 2 huge Solar Panels on either side of the spacecraft.