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STS-51-B

USA

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

STS-51-B
STS-51-B
Spacelab D-1 being installed in the Challenger payload bay
Credit: NASA

Spacelab 3. Deployed Nusat. Conducted materials processing, environmental, life science, astrophysics, and technology experiments. Suffered the worst O-ring erosion experienced prior to the loss of Challenger

NASA Official Mission Narrative

Mission Name: 51-B (17)
CHALLENGER (7)
Pad 39-A (29)
17th Shuttle mission
7th Flight OV-O99
3rd Rollback

Crew:
Robert F. Overmyer (2), Commander
Frederick D. Gregory (1), Pilot
Don L. Lind (1), Mission Specialist 1
Norman E. Thagard (2), Mission Specialist 2
William E. Thornton (2), Mission Specialist 3
Lodewijk van den Berg (1), Payload Specialist 1
Taylor G. Wang (1), Payload Specialist 2

Milestones:
Flow A:
OPF - Oct. 13,1984
VAB - Feb. 10,1985
PAD - Feb. 15,1985
Flow B (rollback):
VAB - March 4,1985
OPF - March 7, 1985
VAB - April 10,1985
PAD - April 15, 1985

Payload:
SPACELAB-3
Mission Objectives:

Launch:
April 29,1985,12:02:18 p.m. EDT. Flight first manifested as 51-E; rolled back from pad due to timing problem with TDRS-B payload. Mission 51-E cancelled; orbiter remanifested with 51-B payloads. Launch April 29 delayed two minutes,18 seconds due to a launch processing system failure. Launch Weight: 246,880 lbs.
Orbit:
Altitude: 222nm
Inclination: 57.0 degrees
Orbits: 111
Duration: Seven days zero hours, eight minutes, 46 seconds.
Distance: 2,890,383 miles

Hardware:
SRB: BI-016
SRM: L016(HPM)
ET : 17/LWT-10
MLP : 2
SSME-1: SN-2023
SSME-2: SN-2020
SSME-3: SN-2021

Landing:
May 6, 1985,9:11:04 a.m. PDT, Runway 17, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Rollout distance: 8.317 feet. Rollout time: 59 seconds. First Crosswind Landing. Orbiter returned to KSC May 11,1985. Landing Weight: 212,465 lbs.

Mission Highlights:
Primary payload was Spacelab-3. First operational flight for Spacelab orbital laboratory series developed by European Space Agency. Five basic discipline areas: materials sciences, life sciences, fluid mechanics, atmospheric physics. And astronomy main mission objective with Spacelab-3 was to provide high quality microgravity environment for delicate materials processing and fluid experiments. Two monkeys and 24 rodents observed for effects of weightlessness. Of 15 Spacelab primary experiments conducted, 14 considered successful. Two Get Away Specials on board.

More at: STS-51-B.

Related

Country
USA
Spacecraft
Challenger
Projects
STS
Launch Sites
Cape Canaveral
Bibliography
4457

Photo Gallery

  • STS-51-B
    STS-51-B
    Artist concept of Spacelab in orbiter cargo bay with horizon
    Credit: NASA
  • STS-51-B
    STS-51-B
    Lift-off of shuttle Challenger and mission STS 51-B
    Credit: NASA
  • STS-51-B
    STS-51-B
    Aurora over the Southern Hemisphere
    Credit: NASA
  • STS-51-B
    STS-51-B
    Astronaut Norman Thagard rests on middeck while other team is on duty
    Credit: NASA
  • STS-51-B
    STS-51-B
    Astronaut William Thornton observes monkey in the RAHF
    Credit: NASA
  • STS-51-B
    STS-51-B
    Payload specialist Lodewijk van den Berg looks out aft flight deck window
    Credit: NASA

Chronology

2 events

1985 April 29

16:02 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. Launch Platform: MLP2. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.
  • STS-51-B - . Call Sign: Challenger. Crew: Gregory, Lind, Overmyer, Thagard, Thornton, Bill, van den Berg, Lodewijk, Wang. Payload: Challenger F07 / SL 3 MPESS. Mass: 14,245 kg (31,404 lb). Nation: USA. Related Persons: Gregory, Lind, Overmyer, Thagard, Thornton, Bill, van den Berg, Lodewijk, Wang. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: STS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spaceplane. Flight: STS-51-B. Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle. Spacecraft: Challenger. Duration: 7.01 days. Decay Date: 1985-05-06 . USAF Sat Cat: 15665 . COSPAR: 1985-034A. Apogee: 353 km (219 mi). Perigee: 346 km (214 mi). Inclination: 57.00 deg. Period: 91.50 min.

    Manned seven crew. Deployed Nusat; carried Spacelab 3. Payloads: Spacelab-3 experiments, habitable Spacelab and mission peculiar experiment support structure. The experiments represented a total of five different disciplines: materials processing in space, environmental observa-tions, life science, astrophysics, and technology experiments. Two getaway specials (GAS). The flight crew was split into gold and silver shifts working 12-hour days during the flight.

1985 May 6