posted 07-28-2024 10:50 AM               

Space Cover 764: Hubble Space Telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was launched on shuttle mission STS-31 aboard Shuttle Orbiter Discovery on April 24, 1990 and very soon after problems were evident with its optics. A fix was devised and on STS-61 repairs were carried out and HST was saved and has provided amazing images from deep in the universe ever since. But servicing missions were required to help continue HST's life and operation, with this STS-125 cover above, with an Edwin Hubble commemorative stamp, being the final servicing mission.

These are two STS-31/HST launch covers, with the top cover honoring the Hubble Family Historical Society, and the bottom cover is from the European Space Agency and bears a cachet picturing HST in orbit.

The cachet on this STS-31 launch cover shows HST in orbit and bears four very appropriate space commemorative stamps, including one honoring Copernicus. Below it is a privately produced VIP card look-alike, with a stamp showing a space telescope in space (issued before the planned space telescope was named in honor of Edwin Hubble).

The top cover, with an STS-31 crew patch/crew emblem cachet, is canceled on the date of deployment of HST, with a Houston pictorial cancel showing the deployment of HST from Discovery. Below is another crew patch/crew emblem cacheted launch cover and signed by the STS-31 crew.

See more Hubble Space Telescope covers here: Hubble Space Telescope +30 astrophilately.