The Spitzer Space Telescope, launched by NASA in 2003, is a space-based infrared observatory designed to study the universe in the infrared spectrum. It is named after Lyman Spitzer Jr., a pioneering astronomer who first proposed the idea of placing telescopes in space to overcome the blurring effects of Earth's atmosphere. The Spitzer telescope has made significant contributions to our understanding of the universe by studying a wide range of astronomical phenomena, including the formation of stars and planets, the composition of distant galaxies, and the presence of organic molecules in space.