Space Telescope Science Institute
Baltimora (USA)
http://www.stsci.edu

The Space Telescope Science Institute is the astronomical research center responsible for operating the Hubble Space Telescope as an international observatory. The Steven Muller Building on The Johns Hopkins Homewood campus is the primary site which houses the Institute's staff and support facilities.

The Institute is staffed by astronomers, computer scientists, technicians and administrative staff from the European Space Agency (which is a partner with NASA on the Space Telescope Project), and the Computer Sciences Corporation.

The Institute presently has a combined staff of approximately 500, of whom approximately 100 are Ph.D astronomers and scientists.

Launched April 24, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope is the largest and most complex astronomical observatory ever placed in orbit. The 2.4 meter-telescope studies a wide range of astronomical phenomena. Located outside the distorting effects of Earth's atmosphere, Space Telescope allows astronomers to see the universe in greater detail than ever before.

The Hubble Space Telescope is expected to return a steady stream of scientific data for an expected lifetime of at least 15 years. Over that period, scientific observations using the telescope's unique capabilities will significantly increase our understanding of the origin, evolution, structure, and dynamics of our universe.

The Space Telescope Project represents the first step in establishing a permanent observational capability for astronomy in space. Following a recommendation by the National Academy of Sciences, NASA established the Space Telescope Science Institute to operate the Hubble Space Telescope as a major observatory for the world-wide astronomical community.

In 1985 the Space Telescope Science Institute was among the founders of ICRA, of which it is still member.