LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A former NASA astronaut who helped put the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit now uses the images it captures to conduct research at the University of Kansas.

Physics and astronomy professor Steven Hawley first researched an abnormal planetary nebula called Tololo 26 as a young astronomer, before ever venturing beyond earth. Besides helping to put the Hubble into orbit, he also replaced a few failed components in a later shuttle mission.