On this day in 1997, Shuttle Discovery launched STS-82 into space to rendezvous with the Hubble Space Telescope.
Launching with seven crew members, Discovery’s mission was to repair and upgrade the telescope’s scientific instruments to increase its research capabilities, which it accomplished over the course of four planned extravehicular activities (EVAs) and a fifth unscheduled space walk to repair insulation on the telescope.
The astronauts managed to remove two older scientific instruments on the telescope and install two new astronomy instruments, as well as perform other servicing tasks. In addition to installing the new instruments, the Discovery crew members replaced other existing hardware with upgrades and spares.
STS-82 further demonstrated the capability of the Space Shuttle to service orbiting spacecraft, and extended the lifespan of one of humanity’s most important scientific instruments.