Meet the Astronauts

Each of Hubble’s 32 astronauts have played an integral role in the telescope’s long-lasting mission. Without their unique skill sets and bravery, Hubble would not have been able to continue its stunning journey of observing the cosmos. Click on any of the astronauts’ biographies below to learn about their backgrounds, experiences, and accomplishments.

Quick Facts

Thirty-two astronauts flew across six missions to launch, repair, and upgrade Hubble.

Astronaut Kathryn C. Thornton, center, grips a tool to perform servicing mission tasks on Hubble, left, with the Earth in the background on the right.

Astronaut John Grunsfeld flew the most missions to Hubble ― three ― and conducted the most spacewalks ― eight.

Astronaut in white space suit waving to the camera outside of the Hubble Space Telescope floating in space.

Astronauts represented three countries during Hubble missions: France, Switzerland, and the United States.

Image showing astronaut holding the Pistol Grip Tool, which looks like an electric screwdriver. The astronaut's face is visible through his visor, he is smiling. He stands next to a large gold box with a bit of the Shuttle visible behind him.

Astronauts conducted Hubble spacewalks on 23 separate days.

Two Hubble astronauts working during Servicing Mission 4. One of the astronauts is carrying a large silver box, about the size of a telephone booth. He is standing on the long robotic CANADARM, to his left there is another astronaut, sideways and working inside Hubble, which has two giant bay doors open at the bottom.

Astronauts spent a total of 171 hours and 3 minutes in the vacuum of space on Hubble spacewalks.

Two astronauts stand in a space shuttle cargo bay with Hubble behind them. The Earth, as seen from above in space, is in the background.

The longest spacewalk to repair Hubble was 8 hours and 15 minutes during Servicing Mission 3A.

Image of Hubble over Earth

Seventeen astronauts have taken spacewalks during Hubble missions.

Astronaut in a white space suit tethered to the Hubble Space Telescope floating in space.

Hubble Astronauts

Back to Hubble Astronauts
Photo of astronaut Thomas Akers in his spacesuit. American flag is behind him.

Thomas Akers

SM1

Meet Tom
Photo of astronaut Scott Altman in his orange spacesuit. American flag is behind him.

Scott Altman

SM 3B and SM 4

Meet Scott
Photo of astronaut Charles Bolden in his orange spacesuit. American flag is behind him.

Charles Bolden

Deploy

Meet Charlie
Official astronaut portrait of Kenneth Bowersox.

Kenneth Bowersox

SM 1 and SM 2

Meet Ken
Official astronaut portrait of Curtis Brown.

Curtis Brown

SM 3A

Meet Curt
Official astronaut portrait of Duane Carey.

Duane Carey

SM 3B

Meet Duane
Official astronaut portrait of Jean-Francois Clervoy.

Jean-Francois Clervoy

SM 3A

Meet Jean-Francois
Official astronaut portrait of Richard Covey.

Richard Covey

SM 1

Meet Richard
Official astronaut portrait of Nancy Currie.

Nancy Currie

SM 3B

Meet Nancy
Official astronaut portrait of Andrew Feustel.

Andrew Feustel

SM 4

Meet Drew
Official astronaut portrait of C. Michael Foale.

Michael Foale

SM 3A

Meet Mike
Official astronaut portrait of Michael Good.

Michael Good

SM 4

Meet Mike
John Grunsfeld - Astronaut and Former Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate

John Grunsfeld

SM 3A, SM 3B, and SM 4

Meet John
Official astronaut portrait of Gregory Harbaugh.

Gregory Harbaugh

SM 2

Meet Greg
Official astronaut portrait of Steven Hawley.

Steven Hawley

Deploy and SM2

Meet Steve
Official astronaut portrait of Jeffrey Hoffman.

Jeffrey Hoffman

SM1

Meet Jeff
Official astronaut portrait of Scott Horowitz.

Scott Horowitz

SM 2

Meet Scott
Official astronaut portrait of Gregory Johnson.

Gregory Johnson

SM 4

Meet Greg
Official astronaut portrait of Scott Kelly.

Scott Kelly

SM 3A

Meet Scott
Official astronaut portrait of Mark Lee.

Mark Lee

SM 2

Meet Mark
Official astronaut portrait of Richard Linnehan.

Richard Linnehan

SM 3B

Meet Rick
Official astronaut portrait of Michael Massimino.

Michael Massimino

SM 3B and SM 4

Meet Mike
Photo of astronaut Megan McArthur in her orange spacesuit. American flag is behind her.

Megan McArthur

SM 4

Meet Megan
Official astronaut portrait of Bruce McCandless II.

Bruce McCandless II

Deploy

Meet Bruce
Official astronaut portrait of F Story Musgrave.

F. Story Musgrave

SM 1

Meet Story
Official astronaut portrait of James Newman.

James Newman

SM 3B

Meet Jim
Official astronaut portrait of Claude Nicollier.

Claude Nicollier

SM 1 and SM 3A

Meet Claude
Official astronaut portrait of Loren Shriver.

Loren Shriver

Deploy

Meet Loren
Official astronaut portrait of Steven Smith.

Steven Smith

SM 2 and SM 3A

Meet Steve
astronaut Dr. Kathy Sullivan

Kathryn Sullivan

Deploy

Meet Kathy
Official astronaut portrait of Joe Tanner.

Joseph Tanner

SM 2

Meet Joe
Official astronaut portrait of Kathryn Thornton.

Kathryn Thornton

SM 1

Meet Kathy
Astronauts in Action: Watch as NASA astronauts upgrade and maintain Hubble while floating 340 miles above the Earth.

Trivia

Hubble Astronaut Fun Facts

Did you know one astronaut flew in the movie "Top Gun"? Test your skills and learn some amazing info about our astronauts!

Explore Trivia
Two astronauts service the Hubble telescope. The one on the left is attached to a robotic arm. The one in the center waves to the camera.
Astronaut Andrew Feustel (left), STS-125 mission specialist, navigates near the Hubble Space Telescope on the end of the Remote Manipulator System robotic arm, controlled from inside Atlantis' crew cabin. Astronaut John Grunsfeld signals to his crewmate from just a few feet away. Astronauts Feustel and Grunsfeld were continuing servicing work on the giant observatory, locked down in the cargo bay of the shuttle.
Credit: NASA

Hubble Astronauts

46 Images
An astronaut on the end of the robotic arm with numerous tools. The blue earth is in the background
An astronaut at one of the gold covered cargo bay carriers with the earth and Hubble off to the right.
Two astronauts at the airlock on the shuttle with their helmet lights turned on.
An astronaut getting his photo taken with the earth and the astronaut with the camera in the reflection of his visor.
An astronaut working in the cargo bay a very blue earth in the background.
Two astronauts installing new solar arrays and electronics on Hubble.
An astronaut is moved on the end of a shuttle robotic arm in the cargo bay with numerous tools attached while another works lower right. Hubble and the earth are in the background.
An astronaut with the earth and sun in the background.
An astronaut floats in the cargo bay next to a gold carrier.
An astronaut with a power ratchet in one hand in front of Hubble. The shuttle cargo bay, gold carriers, and robotic arm are reflected in his visor.
Go To Gallery

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