Hubble is a long-term, space-based observatory. Observations are carried out in visible, infrared and ultraviolet light. Hubble's orbit above the Earth's distorting atmosphere allows astronomers to make the very high resolution observations that are essential to open new windows to planets, stars and galaxies.
			Named after Edwin Powell Hubble (1889-1953), one of the great pioneers of modern astronomy
	Type		Three-axis stabilised Space Observatory.Attitude control by four (of six) gyros at any one time plus three fine guidance sensors
	Mass		Launch mass 11110 kg.
	Size		Length: 15.9 m, diameter: 4.2 m. Two solar panels each 2.4 x 12.1 m
	Telescope		2.4 m f/24 Ritchey-Chretien
	WFPC2		Wide Field/Planetary Camera 2 is an electronic camera working at two magnifications. It has four CCD detectors with 800 x 800 pixels.
	STIS		Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph provides images and spectra. It is sensitive to a wide range of light from UV to Infrared
	NICMOS		Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer provides images and spectra in the infrared. NICMOS uses cooled HgCdTe detectors.
	FOC		FOC -The Faint Object Camera is a very high resolution camera built by ESA
	Date		Cape Canaveral, 24 April, 1990, deployment 26 April
	Vehicle		Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-31 )
			Circular, 593 km inclined at 28.5 degrees to the Equator. The time for one orbit is between 96 and 97 minutes
			Daily on-orbit operations at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt.Science operations are co-ordinated by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore.