How Launching Hubble Space Telescope Influenced Space Shuttle Mission Operations

Abstract

The Hubble Space Telescope is unquestionably one of the most important scientific instruments ever developed. Designed for launch and subsequent on-orbit maintenance by astronauts and the space shuttle, the Hubble Space Telescope presented a unique and challenging set of flight operations issues. The complexity of the operations required a sophisticated level of mission planning and execution, particularly in robotics and extravehicular activity. Detailed planning by the flight operations team and the crew before the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope onboard the space shuttle Discovery was critical to the successful achievement of the objectives. The on-orbit execution of the mission plan, the anomalies encountered, and the resulting lessons learned from the deployment mission were important not only for preparations for the later servicing missions but also for a variety of missions, including those dedicated to the International Space Station assembly.