Hubble Space Telescope history and operations over its first 30 years.

The article recounts the Hubble Space Telescope’s history from its April 1990 launch through its first 30 years, noting an early mirror flaw, subsequent servicing missions that restored and upgraded instruments, and Hubble’s scientific and public impact.

The article reviews the Hubble Space Telescope from its 1990 launch through its first 30 years in orbit. The telescope was deployed from Space Shuttle Discovery into low-Earth orbit to avoid atmospheric distortion. Early images revealed that the primary mirror had been ground to the wrong shape, prompting criticism and concentrated engineering responses. Engineers, scientists, astronauts, and policymakers coordinated a series of servicing missions that restored and upgraded Hubble's capabilities. Key developments: - Hubble was launched and deployed in April 1990 from Space Shuttle Discovery into low-Earth orbit. - Initial observations revealed a flaw in the primary mirror's shape, which reduced image quality and prompted public and scientific concern. - Teams of engineers and scientists developed fixes that were implemented during a sequence of five servicing missions. - Astronauts installed new instruments and corrective hardware that restored and expanded the telescope's capabilities. - After repairs and upgrades, Hubble produced extensive scientific data and widely seen images that advanced knowledge of the solar system, the Milky Way, and the wider universe, and influenced public appreciation of astronomy. Summary: Hubble's recovery from its early optical flaw and the instrument upgrades carried out during five servicing missions enabled decades of scientific discovery and public interest. The book documents how technical fixes, international scientific cooperation, and policy choices affected Hubble's operations. Undetermined at this time.