The raw data collected by the telescope have a long way to go before they become actual Hubble images. As Hubble completes a particular observation, it converts the starlight into digital signals. The ground station then relays the data to Goddard Space Flight Center's ground control system, where staff ensure its completeness and accuracy. The archive makes available for retrieval over 100,000 observations of more than 20,000 celestial targets.
Astronomers can download archived data via Internet and analyze it from anywhere in the world.