STS-31 carried the Hubble Space Telescope to orbit and released it into space. Discovery launched on April 24, 1990, and flew to one of the highest altitudes the Shuttle ever reached in order to deploy the observatory.
Hubble would go on to become one of the most productive scientific instruments in history, and STS-31 is the mission that put it there.
The spacearchive.ai STS-31 collection brings together 17 records from the mission, including landing coverage, launch coverage, mission commentary, and highlights reels.
Preserved together, they form a searchable primary-source record of the mission for researchers, historians, and producers.
A working snapshot of what the collection holds today. The public catalog shows descriptive metadata; full media and transcripts are available through research access.
All records in this collection
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This recording captures the post-landing activities of the STS-31 crew at Edwards Air Force Base, approximately 15 minutes after touchdown. Notably, the crew is greeted by Dr. William Lenore and Donald Putty, and a plaque ceremony is held recognizing the Payloads Flight Control team. The crew discusses the performance of the new carbon brakes, which showed steady pressure during landing, and they prepare for upcoming briefings scheduled for 10:20 AM and 11:00 AM CDT.
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This recording features the STS-31 crew discussing the historical significance of the Hubble Space Telescope shortly after its deployment. Notably, Commander Shriver shares a memento from Edwin Hubble's observatory, while Mission Specialist Bruce McCandless explains the telescope's operational advantages. The crew also conducts a medical experiment related to immune response in microgravity, with discussions about the potential for a weather wave-off during landing preparations.
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Launch coverage for STS-31, featuring the countdown to liftoff at 8:47 AM. Key milestones include the successful main engine start at T-minus 6 seconds, liftoff, and the roll program initiation. The recording captures solid rocket booster separation and confirms nominal performance during ascent, including the go for throttle up and main engine cutoff at 8 minutes 32 seconds. Notably, the launch was scrubbed due to an auxiliary power unit issue at T-minus 5 minutes.
STS-31 launch countdown, T minus 31 seconds. This recording captures a momentary hold due to a valve issue in the oxygen fill and drain tank, requiring a procedure change before proceeding. At T minus 10 seconds, the crew receives confirmation to go for main engine start, leading to the liftoff of Discovery with the Hubble Space Telescope. The recording includes the roll maneuver and initial ascent details, marking the start of the mission.
This recording captures the STS-31 crew's preparations for a slight adjust burn to maintain station keeping with the Hubble Space Telescope, scheduled to occur in approximately 44 minutes. Notably, Mission Specialist Steve Hawley discusses the lithium hydroxide canisters on board, while Commander Lawrence Shriver maneuvers Discovery into a gravity gradient attitude for a water dump. The crew also prepares for a downlink of the ion arc experiment, highlighting the ongoing student experiment led by Greg Peterson.
This recording captures the STS-31 crew's post-landing activities at Edwards Air Force Base, highlighting the unofficial touchdown times of main gear at 8:49 AM and nose gear at 8:50 AM. Notably, the crew discusses the performance of the new carbon brakes during landing, which showed steady braking. The recording also includes a change of shift briefing with Director of Orbital Verification Steve Terry, initially scheduled for 7:30 AM but postponed to 7:45 AM.
This recording captures the STS-31 crew's operations as they maneuver the Hubble Space Telescope into a high hover position, approximately 1 hour and 57 minutes into the mission. Notably, Mission Specialist Steve Hawley successfully rolls the telescope 90 degrees to prepare for solar array deployment, while the orbital verification team confirms the activation of the deployment control electronics. The crew also addresses communication issues with the EVA team, which impacts the timeline for subsequent operations.
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Primary references for STS-31. spacearchive.ai is an independent archive and is not affiliated with NASA.
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