HST - Satellite Information

Designation

Spacetrack catalog number	20580
COSPAR ID	1990-037-B
Name in Spacetrack catalog	HST

Satellite Details

Orbit	553 x 558 km, 28.5°
Category	Astronomy
Country/organisation of origin	USA
Mass	11,000 kg
Dimensions	13.1 metres long
Intrinsic brightness (Mag)	2.2 (at 1000km distance, 50% illuminated)
Maximum brightness (Mag)	-0.4 (at perigee, 100% illuminated)

Launch

Date (UTC)	24 April 1990 12:33
Launch site	Kennedy Space Center (KSC), United States
Launch vehicle	Space Shuttle

Description

The HST was deployed from the Space Shuttle on mission STS-31. It is an Earth orbiting astronomical telescope for observing the heavens from above the interface and turbulence of the earth's atmosphere. It carries 6 scientific instruments for observing ultra violet,visible and near infra-red parts of the spectrum