STIS was an extremely versatile instrument. It used two-dimensional detectors operating from the far-ultraviolet to the near-infrared (1150-11,000Å) in support of a broad range of spectroscopic capabilities. STIS was used to obtain spatially resolved, long-slit (or slitless) spectroscopy of the 1150-10,300Å range at low to medium spectral resolutions (R ~ 500 to 17,000) with first-order gratings. Echelle spectroscopy at medium and high resolutions (R ~ 30,000 and 110,000) covering broad spectral ranges of 
~ 800Å and 200Å, respectively, was available in the ultraviolet (1150-3100Å). STIS was also used for deep optical and solar-blind ultraviolet imaging.
The three 1024 x 1024 pixel detectors supporting spectroscopy and imaging applications were the following:
The MAMA detectors could be used in ACCUM or TIME-TAG modes, with the latter supporting time resolutions down to 125 micro-sec, and the CCD was able to cycle in ~ 20 sec when using small subarrays. The CCD and the MAMAs also provided coronagraphic spectroscopy in the visible and ultraviolet. Coronagraphic CCD imaging was also supported.
The STIS received between ~30% and 70% of the total observing time per HST Cycle during Cycles 7 through 12. The huge and diverse archive of STIS observations constitutes a unique source of high-resolution spectroscopic data in the ultraviolet and spatially-resolved spectroscopic data at ultraviolet and optical wavelengths.
A major closeout effort to improve the quality, accessibility, and homogeneity of STIS data is currently underway at STScI. Details on the closeout efforts are available at:
http://www.stsci.edu/hst/stis/closeout_plan.html
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