The Hubble Space Telescope (HST), backdropped over Madagascar, is berthed in Endeavour's cargo bay following its capture for repair by the STS-61 astronauts.

STS061-73-040 (4 Dec 1993) --- Backdropped against the blackness of space, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) nears the Space Shuttle Endeavour. With the aid of the Remote Manipulator System (RMS), the STS-61 crew members later grappled the spacecraft and berthed it in the cargo bay for five-days of servicing chores by four space walkers.

STS061-86-030 (4 Dec 1993) --- The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is pictured in the Space Shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay following its capture and berthing early in the eleven-day STS-61 mission. The Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm, with television cameras mounted on it, was maneuvered from inside the cabin in order to survey HST. Five days of space walks followed, during which a variety of servicing tasks were performed by four crew members.

Astronaut Hoffman held the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field/Planetary Camera-1 (WF/PC1) that was replaced by WF/PC2 in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle orbiter Endeavour during Extravehicular Activity (EVA). The STS-61 mission was the first of the series of the HST servicing missions. Two months after its deployment in space, scientists detected a 2-micron spherical aberration in the primary mirror of the HST that affected the telescope's ability to focus faint light sources into a precise point. This imperfection was very slight, one-fiftieth of the width of a human hair. During four spacewalks, the STS-61 crew replaced the solar panel with its flexing problems; the WF/PC1 with WF/PC2, with built-in corrective optics; and the High-Speed Photometer with the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR) to correct the aberration for the remaining instruments. The purpose of the HST, the most complex and sensitive optical telescope ever made, is to study the cosmos from a low-Earth orbit for 15 years or more. The HST provides fine detail imaging, produces ultraviolet images and spectra, and detects very faint objects. The Marshall Space Flight Center had responsibility for design, development, and construction of the HST. The Perkin-Elmer Corporation, in Danbury, Cornecticut, developed the optical system and guidance sensors.

STS061-48-027 (9 Dec 1993) --- Astronaut F. Story Musgrave moves about in the Space Shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay during the deployment of the solar array panels on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) during the final of five STS-61 space walks. The left hand of astronaut Jeffrey A. Hoffman appears at lower left corner.

STS061-S-104 (2-13 DEC 1993) --- An overall view in the Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Mission Control Center (MCC) during one of the five space walks performed to service the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) temporarily berthed in the Space Shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay. STS-61 lead flight director Milt Heflin is at right edge of frame.

STS061-05-031 (2-13 Dec 1993) --- With the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) berthed in Endeavour's cargo bay, crew members for the STS-61 mission pause for a crew portrait on the flight deck. Left to right are F. Story Musgrave, Richard O. Covey, Claude Nicollier, Jeffrey A. Hoffman, Kenneth D. Bowersox, Kathryn C. Thornton and Thomas D. Akers.

STS051-98-021 (16 Sept. 1993) --- In the Space Shuttle Discovery's aft cargo bay, astronaut Carl E. Walz gets his turn on the Portable Foot Restraint (PFR). Astronauts Walz, waving to his crew mates inside Discovery's cabin, and James H. Newman each put in some time evaluating the PFR, one of the pieces of gear to be used on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) STS-61 servicing mission (scheduled later this year) and other Shuttle missions.

STS061-79-086 (4 Dec 1993) --- The Hubble Space Telescope (HST), backdropped over Madagascar, is berthed in the Space Shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay following its capture by the STS-61 astronauts. The crew used TV cameras to survey the spacecraft before sending out four astronauts on five separate sessions of extravehicular activity (EVA) to perform a variety of servicing tasks.

STS061-S-103 (2-13 DEC 1993) --- Flight director Robert E. Castle uses a lap top computer to aid his busy tasks during one of the five space walks performed to service the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) temporarily berthed in the Space Shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay. STS-61 lead flight director Milt Heflin is at right edge of frame.

STS061-79-087 (4 Dec. 1993) --- The Hubble Space Telescope (HST), backdropped over Madagascar, is berthed in the space shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay following its capture by the STS-61 astronauts. The crew used TV cameras to survey the spacecraft before sending out four astronauts on five separate sessions of extravehicular activity (EVA) to perform a variety of servicing tasks. Photo credit: NASA

In this photograph, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is clearing the cargo bay during its deployment on April 25, 1990. The photograph was taken by the IMAX Cargo Bay Camera (ICBC) mounted in a container on the port side of the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery STS-31 mission. The purpose of the HST, the most complex and sensitive optical telescope ever made, is to study the cosmos from a low-Earth orbit for 15 years or more. The HST provides fine detail imaging, produces ultraviolet images and spectra, and detects very faint objects. Two months after its deployment in space, scientists detected a 2-micron spherical aberration in the primary mirror of the HST that affected the telescope's ability to focus faint light sources into a precise point. This imperfection was very slight, one-fiftieth of the width of a human hair. A scheduled Space servicing mission (STS-61) in 1993 permitted scientists to correct the problem. During four space walks, new instruments were installed into the HST that had optical corrections. A total of four HST servicing missions have taken place since its deployment: STS-61 in December 1993, STS-82 in February 1997, STS-103 in December 1999, and STS-109 in March 2002. The Marshall Space Flight Center had responsibility for design, development, and construction of the HST. The Perkin-Elmer Corporation, in Danbury, Cornecticut, developed the optical system and guidance sensors.

In this photograph, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was being deployed on April 25, 1990. The photograph was taken by the IMAX Cargo Bay Camera (ICBC) mounted in a container on the port side of the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery (STS-31 mission). The purpose of the HST, the most complex and sensitive optical telescope ever made, is to study the cosmos from a low-Earth orbit for 15 years or more. The HST provides fine detail imaging, produces ultraviolet images and spectra, and detects very faint objects. Two months after its deployment in space, scientists detected a 2-micron spherical aberration in the primary mirror of the HST that affected the telescope's ability to focus faint light sources into a precise point. This imperfection was very slight, one-fiftieth of the width of a human hair. A scheduled Space Service servicing mission (STS-61) in 1993 permitted scientists to correct the problem. During four spacewalks, new instruments were installed into the HST that had optical corrections. The Marshall Space Flight Center had responsibility for design, development, and construction of the HST. The Perkin-Elmer Corporation, in Danbury, Cornecticut, developed the optical system and guidance sensors. Photo Credit: NASA/Smithsonian Institution/Lockheed Corporation.