<Tr> <Th> STIS </Th> <Td> Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> FGS </Th> <Td> Fine Guidance Sensor </Td> </Tr> <P> The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a space telescope that was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990 and remains in operation . Although not the first space telescope, Hubble is one of the largest and most versatile, and is well known as both a vital research tool and a public relations boon for astronomy . The HST is named after the astronomer Edwin Hubble, and is one of NASA's Great Observatories, along with the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Spitzer Space Telescope . </P> <P> With a 2.4 - meter (7.9 ft) mirror, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared spectra . Hubble's orbit outside the distortion of Earth's atmosphere allows it to take extremely high - resolution images, with substantially lower background light than ground - based telescopes . Hubble has recorded some of the most detailed visible light images ever, allowing a deep view into space and time . Many Hubble observations have led to breakthroughs in astrophysics, such as accurately determining the rate of expansion of the universe . </P>

When was the hubble space telescope launched and when will it stop operating