NORAD 20580
Hubble Space Telescope
About this satellite
The Hubble Space Telescope is a NASA and ESA observatory launched by the Space Shuttle Discovery in April 1990. It orbits above the atmosphere to take sharp images in visible, ultraviolet and near-infrared light.
- Operator
- NASA with ESA (science operations by STScI)
- Owner
- United States
- Purpose
- Space telescope for visible, ultraviolet and near-infrared astronomy
- Launched
- 24 April 1990
- Launch vehicle
- Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-31)
- Status
- Operational
- International designator
- 1990-037B
- Altitude
- 468 km to 471 km (perigee to apogee)
- Orbital period
- 94.0 minutes (15.3 orbits a day)
- Inclination
- 28.5°
- Mass
- 11,110 kg
- Size
- 13.2 m long, 4.2 m in diameter
Orbit and catalogue data: CelesTrak SATCAT, updated 2026-10-18.