The first director of STScI, Riccardo Giacconi, announced in 1986 that he intended to devote some of his director discretionary time to allowing amateur astronomers to use the telescope.
Esimene STScI-i direktor Riccardo Giacconi andis 1986. aastal teada, et plaanib osa oma direktoriksoleku ajast pühendada amatöörastronoomidele, lubades neil teleskoopi kasutada.