On-orbit performance of the space telescope imaging spectrograph

Randy A Kimble,Nicholas R Collins,Charles W Bowers,Charles L Joseph,Paul Goudfrooij,Don J Lindler,Edward B Jenkins,Sara R Heap,M E Kaiser,R H Cornett,J F Grady,Jennifer L Sandoval,Carolyn A Krebs,Stefi A Baum,Richard F Green,Robert A Woodruff,D M Crenshaw,Jeff A Valenti,Vic S Argabright,Mark Clampin,S P Maran,A Boggess,J C Hetlinger,F L Roesler ,J G Timothy ,E M Malumuth ,D Weistrop ,Terry Beck ,Mark Brumfield ,W B Landsman ,B E Woodgate ,Robert J Hill,J L Linsky,W B Fowler ,M A Mcgrath ,H W Moos ,J B Hutchings ,W Meyer ,R C Bohlin ,A C Danks ,Harry Ferguson ,P Plait ,G Hartig ,Theodore R Gull,Ralph Stocker ,S B Kraemer ,J J Loiacono ,D Hood ,Lee Feinberg ,Richard D Robinson ,K Feggans

doi:10.1117/12.324433

Abstract

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) is a second- generation instrument for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), designed to cover the 115-1000 nm wavelength range in a versatile array of spectroscopic and imaging modes that take advantage of the angular resolution, unobstructed wavelength coverage, and dark sky offered by the HST. STIS was successfully installed into HST in 1997 February and has since completed a year of orbital checkout, capabilities that it brings to HST, illustrate those capabilities with examples drawn from the first year of STIS observing, and describe at a top level the on-orbit performance of the STIS hardware. We also point the reader to related papers that describe particular aspects of the STIS design, performance, or scientific usage in more detail.

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