Astrometry using the hubble space telescope fine guidance sensors

Abstract

The U. S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration in a cooperative effort with the European Space Agency has developed a large optical telescope with an aperture of 2.4 meters and a length of 8.8 meters. This instrument, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched by the space shuttle (STS-31) on the morning of 24 April 1990 and was placed in earth orbit on 25 April. The primary astrometric instrument will be one of the three Fine Guidance Sensors and it will have the capability to measure one object with respect to another with an accuracy of +/−0.002 arcseconds. A series of program modules to facilitate observation reduction and analysis will be furnished to Hubble Space Telescope astrometric observers. The various modes of operation are discussed, and early steps in the Orbital Verification process of the Hubble Space Telescope are described.