Hubble Space Telescope Launch

The original launch of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was scheduled for 1983; however a series of technical delays and budgeting concerns pushed the expected launch date into late 1986. Construction was completed in 1985 at the Lockheed Missiles and Space Company facility in Sunnyvale, California, but before the telescope could be launched, the Challenger Disaster in January 1986 led to the pause of the shuttle program as investigations into the disaster took place. During the ensuing delay, HST underwent additional stress testing and improvements until it was finally moved to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in 1989 to undergo prelaunch procedures. The telescope finally launched the morning of April 24, 1990 on the space shuttle Discovery as part of the STS-31 mission. It was released into free orbit the next day after a series of tests ensured HST was operational.

Hubble Launch Crew:

Loren J. Shriver, Commander

Charles F. Bolden Jr., Pilot

Steven A. Hawley, Mission Specialist

Bruce McCandless II, Mission Specialist

Kathryn D. Sullivan, Mission Specialist

Learn more about the launch on the NASA website here: https://www.nasa.gov/mission/sts-31/