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Just about everyone has seen and been amazed
by the Hubble Space Telescope’s incredible

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images of our Universe.

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From star-forming nebula and gigantic galaxies,
to the beautiful planets in our solar system.

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For over 30 years, Hubble has been re-writing
the textbooks as it continues to expand our

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own understanding of the universe.

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But operating a telescope in space isn’t
an easy task. As Hubble orbits the Earth once

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every 90 minutes, it’s not exactly as simple
as just spinning the telescope around and

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telling it to take a quick picture.

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And that’s where the STOCC comes in!

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Dedicated on February 14th, 1984 at NASA Goddard’s
Space Flight Center, the STOCC, or the Space

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Telescope Operations Control Center, operates
the Hubble Space Telescope on its important mission.

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Built in the early 1980s, this historic location
was one of the most complex satellite control

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centers ever developed. The amazing minds
working at the STOCC maintain the health,

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safety, and performance of the telescope as
it speeds around Earth at 17,500 miles per hour.

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Crewed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the
team at the STOCC evolved with changes to

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computing technology. In 1999, Goddard upgraded
the STOCC’s computers from minicomputers

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to personal workstations.

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And in 2011, the STOCC utilized smartphone
technology and automated processes, relieving

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the need for 24/7 staffing.

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While the STOCC has undergone some changes
over the years, one thing remains the same:

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The team's commitment to the Hubble Space
Telescope.

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The women and men of the mission operations
team have been relentless in finding ingenious

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ways to prolong Hubble’s life, so it can
do science as long as possible.

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Today, the Operations Team members at the
STOCC continue to operate the telescope, capturing

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data and images of the cosmos for all of us
to enjoy, allowing Hubble to continue its

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mission of unravelling the mysteries of the
universe.

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