The goals of the experiment were to
1) determine composition and structure of the upper atmosphere of Earth from its spectra
2) determine the structure of the geocorona and study day and night airglow and polar aurorae
3) obtain direct evidence of intergalactic hydrogen in distant galaxy clusters
4) obtain spectra and imagery of the solar wind and other gas clouds in the solar system
5) detect gasses in the lunar atmosphere, including volcanic gasses, if any
6) obtain spectra and colors of external galaxies in the far UV
7) obtain spectra and colors of stars and nebulae in the Milky Way
8) evaluate the lunar surface as a site for future astronomical observatories.