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This is part of a suite of flight cabling for the ultraviolet 36-inch reflecting telescope known as HUT (Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope), one of the three main instruments designed to observe the sky in the ultraviolet and x-ray regions of the spectrum on the Space Shuttle-based ASTRO observatory. The telescope was manufactured by the Center for Astrophysical Sciences and the Applied Physics Lab of Johns Hopkins University.

On the first mission in December 1990 the instrument observed over 75 astronomical sources including active galactic nuclei, quasars, variable stars and supernova remnants. After this successful mission it was modified to concentrate on the relatively unknown far ultraviolet region and flown on Astro-2 in March 1995. Observations from this second flight provided a wealth of data including the first definitive detection of helium left over from the Big Bang. It was transferred by NASA in 2001.

 Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type INSTRUMENTS-Scientific Manufacturer The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
 Dimensions Overall: 60.96 x 60.96 x 60.96cm (2ft x 2ft x 2ft)
 Materials mixed metals, plastic covering
 Inventory Number A20010310000 Credit Line Transferred from NASA, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center. Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
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