Hubble Space Telescope is an orbiting observatory, built and operated jointly by NASA and the European Space Agency, which is equipped with a main mirror 2.4 meters (94.5 inches) in diameter. It is named after American astronomer Edwin Hubble.
The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is the visible/ultraviolet/near-infrared element of the Great Observatories program. With its high resolution, the HST has revolutionized many aspects of astronomy and cosmology. Science operations are conducted from the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland. [1]
Since the earliest days of astronomy, since the time of Galileo, astronomers have shared a single goal — to see more, see farther, see deeper. The Hubble Space Telescope's launch in 1990 sped humanity to one of its greatest advances in that journey. Hubble is a telescope that orbits Earth.
Its position above the atmosphere, which distorts and blocks the light that reaches our planet, gives it a view of the universe that typically far surpasses that of ground-based telescopes.
Hubble is one of NASA's most successful and long-lasting science missions. It has beamed hundreds of thousands of images back to Earth, shedding light on many of the great mysteries of astronomy. Its gaze has helped determine the age of the universe, the identity of quasars, and the existence of dark energy. [2]
The interactive graphic above depicts the instruments and engineering components summarily on the Hubble. Cklick the image to visit the interactive page.
ACS - Advanced Camera for Surveys - The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) is a third-generation imaging camera. This camera is optimized to perform surveys or broad imaging campaigns. Currently only the Solar Blind Channel is available for science observations. The Wide Field and High Resolution Channels are not functioning. Astronauts will attempt to repair ACS during Servicing Mission 4 to the telescope.
COSTAR - Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement - Second-generation corrective optics. COSTAR is not an actual instrument. It consists of mirrors which refocus the abbreviated light from Hubble's optical system for first-generation instruments. COSTAR is no longer needed as all of the subsequent instruments have had the correction built in. COSTAR will be removed during SM4 to make room for the new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS).
NICMOS - Near Infrared Camera/Multi-Object Spectrometer - Second-generation imager/spectrograph. NICMOS is Hubble's only near-infrared (NIR) instrument. To be sensitive in the NIR, NICMOS must operate at a very low temperature, requiring sophisticated coolers. Problems with the solid nitrogen refrigerant have necessitated the installation of the NICMOS Cryocooler (NCC) on SM3B to continue its operation. NASA may attempt to restart NICMOS after SM4.
STIS - Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph- Second-generation imager/spectrograph. STIS is used to obtain high resolution spectra of resolved objects. STIS has the special ability to simultaneously obtain spectra from many different points along a target. STIS is currently not functioning. Astronauts will attempt to repair STIS during Servicing Mission 4 to the telescope.
WFPC2 - Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 - Second-generation imaging camera. WFPC2 is an upgraded version of WF/PC (1) which includes corrective optics and improved detectors. WFPC2 will be replaced with Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) during Servicing Mission 4.
Hubble Space Telescope is an orbiting observatory, built and operated jointly by NASA and the European Space Agency, which is equipped with a main mirror 2.4 meters (94.5 inches) in diameter. It is named after American astronomer Edwin Hubble.
The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is the visible/ultraviolet/near-infrared element of the Great Observatories program. With its high resolution, the HST has revolutionized many aspects of astronomy and cosmology. Science operations are conducted from the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland. [1]
Since the earliest days of astronomy, since the time of Galileo, astronomers have shared a single goal — to see more, see farther, see deeper. The Hubble Space Telescope's launch in 1990 sped humanity to one of its greatest advances in that journey. Hubble is a telescope that orbits Earth.
Its position above the atmosphere, which distorts and blocks the light that reaches our planet, gives it a view of the universe that typically far surpasses that of ground-based telescopes.
Hubble is one of NASA's most successful and long-lasting science missions. It has beamed hundreds of thousands of images back to Earth, shedding light on many of the great mysteries of astronomy. Its gaze has helped determine the age of the universe, the identity of quasars, and the existence of dark energy. [2]
The interactive graphic above depicts the instruments and engineering components summarily on the Hubble. Cklick the image to visit the interactive page.
ACS - Advanced Camera for Surveys - The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) is a third-generation imaging camera. This camera is optimized to perform surveys or broad imaging campaigns. Currently only the Solar Blind Channel is available for science observations. The Wide Field and High Resolution Channels are not functioning. Astronauts will attempt to repair ACS during Servicing Mission 4 to the telescope.
COSTAR - Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement - Second-generation corrective optics. COSTAR is not an actual instrument. It consists of mirrors which refocus the abbreviated light from Hubble's optical system for first-generation instruments. COSTAR is no longer needed as all of the subsequent instruments have had the correction built in. COSTAR will be removed during SM4 to make room for the new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS).
NICMOS - Near Infrared Camera/Multi-Object Spectrometer - Second-generation imager/spectrograph. NICMOS is Hubble's only near-infrared (NIR) instrument. To be sensitive in the NIR, NICMOS must operate at a very low temperature, requiring sophisticated coolers. Problems with the solid nitrogen refrigerant have necessitated the installation of the NICMOS Cryocooler (NCC) on SM3B to continue its operation. NASA may attempt to restart NICMOS after SM4.
STIS - Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph- Second-generation imager/spectrograph. STIS is used to obtain high resolution spectra of resolved objects. STIS has the special ability to simultaneously obtain spectra from many different points along a target. STIS is currently not functioning. Astronauts will attempt to repair STIS during Servicing Mission 4 to the telescope.
WFPC2 - Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 - Second-generation imaging camera. WFPC2 is an upgraded version of WF/PC (1) which includes corrective optics and improved detectors. WFPC2 will be replaced with Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) during Servicing Mission 4.
Space Missions 
Since the earliest days of astronomy, since the time of Galileo, astronomers have shared a single goal — to see more, see farther, see deeper. The Hubble Space Telescope's launch in 1990 sped humanity to one of its greatest advances in that journey. Hubble is a telescope that orbits Earth.
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