Hubble is NASA's orbiting space telescope, designed to be repaired by astronauts.
nasa-hubble The Hubble Space Telescope is a NASA observatory built with the European Space Agency and launched in 1990. It orbits about 483 km (300 miles) up and looks at visible, ultraviolet and near-infrared light. It was the first space observatory designed for servicing in orbit, and astronauts visited five times to repair and upgrade it.
Hubble's mirrors are made of a glass from Corning that hardly changes size as the temperature shifts. The main mirror has a honeycomb core, which cut its weight from about 3,636 kg to 818 kg. The frame is graphite-epoxy under a light aluminium shell. There are no engines on board.
Orbiting visible, ultraviolet and near-infrared observatory launched in 1990 and serviced by shuttle astronauts. Its low-expansion glass mirror, graphite-epoxy frame and aluminum shell keep optics stable, and GaAs solar arrays plus nickel-hydrogen batteries power it.
Both mirrors start as blanks of Ultra-Low Expansion glass with a honeycomb core. A layer of aluminium only four millionths of an inch thick makes the surface reflective. Magnesium fluoride on top protects the aluminium from oxidation, or reacting with oxygen.
The frame is graphite-epoxy, covered by a light aluminium shell and a multi-layered shroud of insulation. Together with the low-expansion glass, they keep the optics stable. Black paint lining the optical tube prevents reflections from stray light.
The arrays installed in 2002 have aluminium-lithium frames and gallium arsenide cells, which are more efficient than the silicon cells on the original arrays. They produce about 5,000 W, while the telescope uses 2,100 W on average. Six batteries, each made of 22 nickel-hydrogen cells, deliver 32 volts apiece.
Hubble points itself with four reaction wheels, each weighing 100 lb (45 kg), and four magnetic torquers, which are eight-foot iron rods wrapped in wire. Neither uses propellant, because exhaust by-products could contaminate the telescope's field of view. The telescope has six gyroscopes, but typical operations use only three.
Both the primary and secondary mirrors, as a honeycomb-core blank. The glass was developed by Corning Glass Works.
The mirror's reflective layer, four millionths of an inch thick. A light aluminium shell also covers the frame.
A coating over the aluminium on the mirror, to protect it from oxidation.
The frame, which is covered by the aluminium shell and the insulation shroud.
The solar cells on the arrays installed in 2002, more efficient than the silicon cells before them.
The six batteries, each made of 22 cells.
The space shuttle Discovery carried Hubble into orbit in April 1990. Perkin-Elmer built the optical system, and Lockheed Missile and Space Company built the outer shroud and spacecraft systems and assembled the telescope. Ball Aerospace was the main contractor for several instruments, and the European Space Agency developed the first two sets of solar arrays. The James Webb Space Telescope is Hubble's observing partner and builds on its work.
deployed from the orbiter's cargo bay on 25 April 1990
built the optical system and the fine guidance sensors
built the outer shroud and spacecraft systems and assembled and tested the telescope
prime contractor for several science instruments (ACS, COS, STIS, NICMOS, COSTAR, GHRS)
developed the first two sets of solar arrays and the third set's drive mechanisms
designed and built WFPC2
operates and commands the telescope
identifies and schedules the observing targets
ESA
Aluminium. Here: Mirror reflective layer; Outer shell. There: Telescope (structure and mirrors, 3 telescopes).
Gallium arsenide. Here: Solar cells (current arrays, installed 2002). There: Photovoltaic array.
Multilayer insulation. Here: Multilayer insulation shroud. There: Instrument thermal wrap.
NASA
Aluminium. Here: Mirror reflective layer; Outer shell. There: Pressure vessel (seven large pieces, friction-stir welded); Backbone assembly (floor structure) and more.
Gallium arsenide. Here: Solar cells (current arrays, installed 2002). There: Triple-junction gallium arsenide solar cells (15,000 across the four wings).
Multilayer insulation. Here: Multilayer insulation shroud. There: Passive thermal control: multilayer insulation blankets (incl. high-temperature blankets at thrusters and nozzle) and heaters.
United Launch Alliance
Aluminium. Here: Mirror reflective layer; Outer shell. There: Booster propellant tanks; Booster tank panels and domes.
graphite-epoxy. Here: Frame. There: GEM 63XL motor case.
Multilayer insulation. Here: Multilayer insulation shroud. There: Multilayer insulation (MLI) blankets and radiation shields.
ESA
Aluminium. Here: Mirror reflective layer; Outer shell. There: TPMU/DSLP housing.
Gallium arsenide. Here: Solar cells (current arrays, installed 2002). There: Solar cells.
ESA / Airbus
Aluminium. Here: Mirror reflective layer; Outer shell. There: Main structure tube; Equipment box (EQB) and more.
Multilayer insulation. Here: Multilayer insulation shroud. There: Outer thermal blanket (both spacecraft).
PSAS / Oregon State
Aluminium. Here: Mirror reflective layer; Outer shell. There: Backplane grounding to frame.
Gallium arsenide. Here: Solar cells (current arrays, installed 2002). There: Solar cell (SpectraLabs XTE-SF, 2 per module); Solar cell technology.
Not everything is public. The fibre and resin in the graphite-epoxy frame, the alloy of the aluminium shell and the types of film in the insulation are not given. Nor is the maker of the current solar cells, or the material of the antenna dishes.
What is written above is built from these numbers and quotes. Each row links to the page it was taken from. Get all of it as JSON, or ask our MCP server.
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| Launch | 24 April 1990, space shuttle Discovery |
| Orbit | About 300 miles (483 km) above Earth |
| Length | 43.5 ft (13.2 m) |
| Mass | About 27,000 lb (12,246 kg) |
| Primary mirror diameter | 94.5 in (2.4 m) |
| Primary mirror mass | 1,800 lb (818 kg) after honeycombing, from 8,000 lb |
| Solar array power | About 5,000 W |
| Average power use | 2,100 W |
| Battery system | six batteries of 22 NiH2 cells; 32 V; 88 Ah each; 528 Ah total |
| Width at back | 14 ft (4.2 m) |
| Orbit period | about 95 minutes |
| Pointing stability | no more than 0.007 arcsecond over extended periods |
| Propulsion | none; attitude control uses reaction wheels and magnetic torquers with no propellant |
| Science data downlink rate | 1 Mbps |
| Servicing missions | five visits by astronauts |
| Deployment date | 25 April 1990 |
Each material named in the sources: where it is used here, which other products use it, and its key numbers when its material page exists.
Used in 2 partsMirror reflective layer · Outer shell
Used in 2 partsSolar cells (original arrays) · Coarse Sun Sensors
Used in 1 partSolar array wings, third generation (installed 2002)
Used in 1 partOptical tube interior black paint
Used in 1 partSolar cells (current arrays, installed 2002)
Used in 1 partFrame
Used in 1 partPrimary and secondary mirror substrate
Used in 1 partMagnetic torquers (x4)
Used in 1 partMirror protective layer
Used in 1 partMetal Matrix Mast
Used in 1 partMultilayer insulation shroud
Used in 1 partBatteries (6)
Mirror, frame, shell, solar cells and batteries are named by NASA; insulation, tanks and wiring are not. Components, suppliers and links were added from public sources. A material is left blank where no source states it.
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary and secondary mirror substrate“Both the primary and secondary mirrors are made of a high-silicon, Ultra-Low Expansion Glass developed by Corning Glass Works.” | high-silicon Ultra-Low Expansion glass (Corning)ule-glass | — | Corning Glass Works |
| Mirror reflective layer“The layer of aluminum is only 4/1,000,000th of an inch thick and provides the mirror’s reflectivity.” | aluminumaluminium | — | — |
| Mirror protective layer“The magnesium fluoride layer is coated on top of the aluminum to protect it from oxidation” | magnesium fluoridemagnesium-fluoride | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frame“Hubble’s frame is made of graphite-epoxy covered by a light aluminum shell” | graphite-epoxygraphite-epoxy | — | — |
| Outer shell“covered by a light aluminum shell and a multi-layered shroud of insulation” | aluminumaluminium | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar cells (current arrays, installed 2002)“This set of arrays uses gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells” | gallium arsenidegallium-arsenide | — | — |
| Solar cells (original arrays)“more efficient than the silicon solar cells used by the previous arrays” | siliconsilicon | — | — |
| Batteries (6)“Hubble’s six batteries are each constructed of 22 nickel hydrogen (NiH2) cells.” | nickel hydrogen (NiH2) cellsnickel-hydrogen-cell | — | — |
| Solar array wings, third generation (installed 2002)two rigid wings, four panels each, folded rather than rolled“supporting frames made of aluminum-lithium” | aluminium-lithium (frames; alloy grade not stated)aluminium-lithium | — | Supplier: Panels bought from a commercial communications-satellite production line; wing structures fabricated at NASA Goddard |
| Solar array blankets, first and second generation (ESA)flexible roll-out arrays flown 1990 to 2002“Solar Array Blanket ESA” | Not said | — | Supplier: European Space Agency |
| Solar Array Drive Mechanismsturn the arrays to stay pointed at the Sun“ESA designed, developed and tested the Solar Array Drive Mechanisms” | Not said | — | Supplier: European Space Agency |
| Solar array drive electronicselectronics for the array drive“Solar Array Drive Electronics ESA” | Not said | — | Supplier: European Space Agency |
| Solar array primary and secondary deployment mechanismsdeploy the original solar arrays“Primary Deployment Mechanism ESA” | Not said | — | Supplier: European Space Agency |
| Power Control Unit (PCU)manages and distributes the power the arrays make; replaced in 2002“Power created by the solar arrays is managed by the power control unit (PCU).” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company (original unit) |
| Power Distribution Units (x4)switch equipment on or off and fuse each circuit“The PCU distributes power to the spacecraft through four power distribution units (PDUs).” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company |
| Charge Current Controllercontrols battery charging current“Charge Current Controller LMSC” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company |
| Battery modules (x2, three batteries each)store power for the roughly 36 minutes per orbit in Earth's shadow“the batteries are contained in two modules that hold three batteries apiece” | Not said | — | Supplier: Eagle Picher / GE |
| Battery Improvement Kit (BIK)prevents battery overcharge when Hubble enters safe mode; installed 1997“The Battery Improvement Kit (BIK), installed during Servicing Mission 2 in 1997, prevents the batteries from becoming overcharged” | Not said | — | — |
| Voltage/Temperature Improvement Kit (VIK)lets engineers choose charge levels best for the batteries; installed 1999“The Voltage/Temperature Improvement Kit (VIK), installed in 1999 during the third servicing mission” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optical Telescope Assembly (OTA)Cassegrain mirror system that collects and focuses light for the science and guidance instruments“Optical Telescope Assembly Perkin-Elmer” | Not said | — | Supplier: Perkin-Elmer |
| Primary Mirror Assembly (2.4 m)large concave mirror that gathers the light; its glass substrate is already in the entry bom“Primary Mirror Assembly Perkin-Elmer” | Not said | — | Supplier: Perkin-Elmer |
| Secondary Mirror Assemblysmaller mirror suspended above the primary that sends light back through a hole in the primary“Secondary Mirror Assembly Perkin-Elmer” | Not said | — | Supplier: Perkin-Elmer |
| Focal Plane Assemblyoptical interface at the focal plane where the instruments receive light“Focal Plane Assembly Perkin-Elmer” | Not said | — | Supplier: Perkin-Elmer |
| Optical Control Electronicselectronics for the optical telescope assembly“Optical Control Electronics Perkin-Elmer” | Not said | — | Supplier: Perkin-Elmer |
| Actuator Control Electronicselectronics that drive actuators in the optical assembly“Actuator Control Electronics Perkin-Elmer” | Not said | — | Supplier: Perkin-Elmer |
| Optical tube interior black paintlines the optical tube to stop stray-light reflections“black paint lining the optical tube that prevents reflections from stray light” | black paint (type not stated)black-paint-unspecified | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS)third-generation wide-field survey camera (Wide Field, High Resolution and Solar Blind channels); installed 2002“Dr. Holland Ford, Johns Hopkins University Prime contractor Ball Aerospace” | Not said | — | Supplier: Ball Aerospace (prime contractor); principal investigator at Johns Hopkins University |
| Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3)main imager, ultraviolet through infrared; installed 2009“Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation in Boulder jointly developed the WFC3” | Not said | — | Supplier: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation, with NASA Goddard and the Space Telescope Science Institute |
| Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS)ultraviolet spectrograph for faint point sources; installed 2009 in the slot COSTAR had used“The prime contractor for the design and manufacture of COS was Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation in Boulder, CO.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation (prime contractor); built at the University of Colorado CASA |
| Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS)versatile imaging spectrograph; installed 1997, repaired 2009“STIS was developed under the direction of the principal investigator, Dr. Bruce E. Woodgate, jointly with Ball Aerospace.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Ball Aerospace (prime contractor); principal investigator at NASA Goddard |
| Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS)near-infrared camera and spectrometer; installed 1997, now inactive“Dr. Rodger I. Thompson, U. of Arizona Ball Aerospace” | Not said | — | Supplier: Ball Aerospace (contractor); principal investigator at the University of Arizona |
| Fine Guidance Sensors (x3)three interferometers: two lock onto guide stars for pointing, the third can serve as a science instrument“Fine Guidance Sensor Perkin-Elmer” | Not said | — | Supplier: Perkin-Elmer |
| Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2)second-generation imaging camera, installed 1993 and removed in 2009“WFPC2 was designed and built at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory” | Not said | — | Supplier: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| Wide Field and Planetary Camera 1 (WFPC1)first-generation camera launched with the telescope in 1990“Wide Field Planetary Camera JPL” | Not said | — | Supplier: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| Faint Object Camera (FOC)original-complement camera, replaced by ACS in 2002“Faint Object Camera Dornier” | Not said | — | Supplier: Dornier |
| Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS)original-complement spectrograph, later replaced“Faint Object Spectrograph Martin Marietta Corporation” | Not said | — | Supplier: Martin Marietta Corporation |
| Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS)original-complement ultraviolet spectrograph“the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph, one of the original science instruments launched aboard HST” | Not said | — | Supplier: Ball Aerospace |
| Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR)set of corrective mirrors that countered the primary-mirror flaw; installed 1993“designed and built the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement” | Not said | — | Supplier: Ball Aerospace |
| High Speed Photometer (HSP)original-complement photometer, later replaced“High Speed Photometer” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support Systems Module (SSM)encloses the telescope assembly and science instruments and carries the spacecraft systems“The Lockheed Missile and Space Company of Sunnyvale, California, produced the protective outer shroud and spacecraft systems” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company (Sunnyvale, California) |
| Multilayer insulation shroudmulti-layered insulation that stabilizes temperature inside the telescope“Multilayer Insulation LMSC/Perkin-Elmer” | multilayer insulation (film types not stated)multilayer-insulation-mli | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company / Perkin-Elmer |
| New Outer Blanket Layer (NOBL) coverscovers fitted over damaged external insulation blankets“The New Outer Blanket Layer (NOBL) covers protect Hubble external blankets.” | Not said | — | — |
| Metal Matrix Mastmast structure; the NASA table does not say where it is used“Metal Matrix Mast DWA/LMSC” | metal matrix composite (matrix and fibre not stated)metal-matrix-composite | — | Supplier: DWA / Lockheed Missile and Space Company |
| Aperture door latchlatch for the telescope aperture door“Latch, Aperture Door LMSC” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company |
| Solar array latches (forward and aft)latches that hold the solar arrays“Forward Latch, Solar Array LMSC” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company |
| High-gain antenna latchlatch for the high-gain antenna“Latch, High Gain Antenna LMSC” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reaction Wheel Assemblies (x4)four wheels near the centre of gravity that turn the observatory with no propellant“four 100-pound (45 kg) reaction wheel assemblies for attitude control” | Not said | — | Supplier: Sperry |
| Rate Sensor Units with six gyroscopesgyroscopes that measure the direction and rate of the telescope's rotation“The telescope has six gyros, but typical operations only use three of them.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Bendix (as Rate Gyro Assembly) |
| Magnetic torquers (x4)iron rods that push against Earth's magnetic field to rotate the telescope and unload the wheels“Magnetic torquers are eight-foot iron rods wrapped in wire” | iron (rods wrapped in wire; grade not stated)iron | — | Supplier: Ithaco / Bendix |
| Magnetic Sensing Systemmagnetometers and electronics that act as Hubble's compass“The system consists of magnetometers and dedicated electronics” | Not said | — | Supplier: Schoenstadt / Bendix |
| Fixed Head Star Trackersmatch star patterns to find the telescope's attitude to within 60 arcseconds“The Fixed Head Star Trackers determine Hubble’s attitude by measuring the locations and brightnesses of stars” | Not said | — | Supplier: Ball / Bendix |
| Coarse Sun Sensorssilicon diode detectors that find the Sun so the telescope can be kept at least 50 degrees away from it“The sensors use silicon diode detectors to determine whether the Sun is present in their field of view” | silicon (diode detectors)silicon | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company |
| Fine Guidance Electronicselectronics for the Fine Guidance System“Fine Guidance Electronics Harris” | Not said | — | Supplier: Harris |
| Pointing Safemode Electronics Assemblypointing electronics for safe mode“Pointing Safemode Electronics Assembly Bendix” | Not said | — | Supplier: Bendix |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-gain antennas (x2)dish antennas that transmit science images and data through the TDRS relay satellites“The HGAs are dish-shaped parabolic reflectors that can send more information out at once than the LGAs can.” | Not said | — | Supplier: GE (dish and feed) |
| Low-gain antennas (x2)small stationary spiral-cone antennas that receive all commands“The LGAs are small, stationary, spiral cone antennas that can send and receive signals in every direction.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company |
| Antenna Pointing System (APS)points the high-gain antennas along two axes at the relay satellite“the APS can manipulate the HGAs along two axes so that the antenna can point directly at the targeted satellite” | Not said | — | Supplier: Sperry |
| Multiple-Access Transponders (MATs)carry real-time science memory dumps and engineering data on two channels“the Multiple-Access Transponders (MATs) and the S-Band Single-Access Transmitters (SSATs)” | Not said | — | Supplier: Motorola |
| S-Band Single-Access Transmitters (SSATs)send recorded and real-time science data at 1 Mbps“The SSATs transmit real-time science, recorded science, and recorded engineering information at 1 Mbps.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Odetics |
| RF Multiplexerradio-frequency multiplexer in the communications chain“RF Multiplexer Wavecom” | Not said | — | Supplier: Wavecom |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main flight computercalculates which reaction wheels to speed up or slow to point at each target“Hubble’s main computer then calculates which wheels should slow and which ones spin faster” | Not said | — | Supplier: Rockwell Autonetics |
| Science Instrument Command and Data Handling (SIC&DH) unitcommands the science instruments and routes science and engineering data to the ground“provides all of the electronics to command Hubble's science instruments from the ground” | Not said | — | Supplier: Fairchild / IBM (original unit) |
| Data Management Unitavionics unit in the Support Systems Module equipment section“Data Management Unit LMSC” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company |
| Data Interface Unitavionics unit in the Support Systems Module equipment section“Data Interface Unit LMSC” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company |
| Instrument Control Unitcontrol unit for the instruments“Instrument Control Unit LMSC” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company |
| Mechanism Control Unitcontrol unit for mechanisms“Mechanism Control Unit LMSC” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Missile and Space Company |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft Capture Mechanism (SCM)ring on the aft bulkhead that allows a future vehicle to dock for controlled de-orbit“a ring-like device which will be permanently attached to Hubble's aft bulkhead” | Not said | — | — |
| Relative Navigation System (RNS)imaging system flown on the shuttle to record Hubble's capture and deployment during SM4“an imaging system consisting of optical and navigation sensors and supporting avionics that will be mounted on the Shuttle” | Not said | — | — |
Graphite-epoxy fibre and resin, aluminum shell alloy, insulation film types, and the substrate of the mirror coatings are not stated on the NASA pages read. The current solar cells are GaAs per NASA; cell supplier not stated. The ULE glass is described as honeycomb in the NASA text. More detail: Hubble has no propulsion system (NASA: reaction wheels and magnetic torquers use no propellant), so there are no thrusters or engines to link. Not published on the pages read: antenna dish and cone materials, the contractor for the Soft Capture Mechanism and the NOBL covers, and who built the High Speed Photometer. The NASA partner table lists parts 'at launch', so some listed suppliers (computer, SIC&DH, PCU, gyros, batteries) supplied the original units that were later replaced. Frame alloy is stated as aluminum-lithium on the SA3 fact sheet and lithium-aluminum alloy on the electrical-power page. The launch vehicle was the Space Shuttle Discovery (three RS-25 main engines), which is not a catalog product. More detail: Hubble has no propulsion system (NASA: reaction wheels and magnetic torquers use no propellant), so there are no thrusters or engines to link. Not published on the pages read: antenna dish and cone materials, the contractor for the Soft Capture Mechanism and the NOBL covers, and who built the High Speed Photometer. The NASA partner table lists parts 'at launch', so some listed suppliers (computer, SIC&DH, PCU, gyros, batteries) supplied the original units that were later replaced. Frame alloy is stated as aluminum-lithium on the SA3 fact sheet and lithium-aluminum alloy on the electrical-power page. The launch vehicle was the Space Shuttle Discovery (three RS-25 main engines), which is not a catalog product.
CubeSats in a P-POD dispenser 
NASA Deployable Composite Boom Maker credit: NASA (with ESA). Collected from public pages and documents, checked 4 Nov 2026.
