What is the orbital inclination of the Hubble Space Telescope in degrees?

The orbital inclination of the Hubble Space Telescope is 28.5 degrees. That means Hubble's orbital plane is tilted 28.5 degrees relative to Earth's equator as it circles the planet.

Hubble travels in low Earth orbit at an altitude of roughly 540 kilometers, or about 340 miles, though atmospheric drag and orbital adjustments make its altitude change over time. Its orbit takes approximately 95 minutes, allowing the telescope to circle Earth about 15 times per day.

The 28.5-degree inclination was closely connected to the Space Shuttle missions that deployed and serviced Hubble. Shuttle launches from Kennedy Space Center were naturally suited to reaching that inclination, reducing the amount of fuel needed to change the spacecraft's orbital plane.

This figure is sometimes confused with 51.6 degrees, the inclination used by the International Space Station. Hubble is not in the ISS's orbit. Its lower inclination also creates a continuous viewing zone near the orbital poles, where targets can remain visible for longer periods without passing behind Earth.