The Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission

Abstract

This paper will not review in any detail the performance problems that have been discovered with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) after it was placed into orbit on April 25, 1990, but rather it will concentrate on the efforts currently under way to conduct a servicing mission late in 1993 in order to restore both the telescope and the spacecraft to their expected capabilities. The detailed planning for this mission will intentionally be left flexible as long as possible to be able to respond to future changes in spacecraft performance. The descriptions below reflect the state of the hardware and planning as of November, 1991. These developments include four major types of spacecraft hardware, plus the carriers, tools and the plans for the servicing mission itself. In addition, some other hardware items are being considered as desirable additions, if schedules and budgets permit.