posted 11-01-2014 04:20 PM               

Space Cover #289: Hubble Trouble: Deploy and repair of HST

On April 24, 1990, amid great fanfare and expectation, the $2.5 billion Hubble Space Telescope was launched aboard Discovery on Shuttle mission STS-31. After deployment and activation, the first look into the cosmos took place three days later. But expectations quickly turned to concern as the first images were not clear.

As is well-known, during manufacture the main mirror was incorrectly shaped causing a distortion and rendering the HST of limited use.

Corrective measures were devised and 3 1/2 years after its deployment, the seven member crew of Endeavour took off on mission STS-61 to repair Hubble.

Five EVA's, led by veteran astronaut Story Musgrave, were involved to install two devices to fix Hubble's vision problem. These included a new main camera and a corrective optics package. These fixes corrected the problem and after three more service calls to the HST, it continues to make new and exciting deep space discoveries.

History will very possibly hale the rescue and repair of Hubble as the Space Shuttle Program's proudest moment and greatest achievement.

The top cover is autographed by the STS-31 HST deployment crew, with the next cover, with special HST cancel, canceled on the day that Hubble took its first, distorted, view into space. The third cover is autographed by the STS-61 fix-it crew. And the final cover marks the launch of STS-61 with a special Hubble Space Telescope/1st Servicing Mission cachet.