Hubble in Flight (1997)

The Hubble Space Telescope drifts through space in this picture, taken by Space Shuttle Discovery during Hubble's second servicing mission in 1997. The 10-foot aperture door, open to admit light, closes to block out space debris. The observatory's solar panels and foil-like thermal blankets are clearly visible. The solar panels provide power, while the thermal blankets protect Hubble from the extreme temperatures of space.