Jump to content

STS-61-C: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Reubenbarton (talk | contribs)
7,450 edits
No edit summary
Reubenbarton (talk | contribs)
7,450 edits
Line 44: Line 44:


==Mission Highlights==
==Mission Highlights==
Mission 24 in the Space Shuttle program saw the orbiter Columbia
returned to flight for the first time since the STS-9 mission in
November 1983, after having undergone major modifications by Rockwell
International in California.

The launch originally was scheduled for Dec. 18, but the closeout of
an aft orbiter compartment was delayed and the mission was
rescheduled for the next day on Dec. 19, the countdown was stopped at
T-14 seconds because of a -- out-of-tolerance turbine reading on the
right SRBs hydraulic system.

Another launch attempt on Jan. 6, 1986, was terminated at T-31
seconds because a problem in a valve in the liquid oxygen system
could not be fixed before the end of the launch window. Other launch
attempts were made on Jan. 7, scrubbed because of bad weather at
contingency landing sites at Dakar, Senegal, and Moron, Spain; on
Jan. 9, delayed because of a problem with a main engine prevalve; and
on Jan. 10 because of heavy rain in the launch area.

The launch finally took place at 6:55 a.m. EST, on Jan. 12 without
further problems.

The flight crew included Robert L. Gibson, commander; Charles F.
Bolden, pilot; three mission specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz, Steven
A. Hawley and George D. Nelson; and two payload specialists Robert
Cenker RCA Astro-Electronics and U.S. Congressman Bill Nelson.

The primary objective of the mission was to deploy the Ku-l
communications satellite, second in a planned series of
geosynchronous satellites owned and operated by RCA Americom. The
deployment was successful and the satellite eventually became
operational. The flight also carried a large number of small
experiments, including 13 GAS canisters devoted to investigations
involving the effect of microgravity on materials processing, seed
germination, chemical reactions, egg hatching, astronomy and
atmospheric physics. Other cargo included a Materials Science
Laboratory-2 structure for experiments involving liquid bubble
suspension by sound waves, melting and resolidification of metallic
samples and containerless melting and solidification of electrically
conductive specimens. Another small experiment carrier located in
the payload bay was the Hitchiker G-l (HHG-l) with three experiments
to l) study film particles in the orbiter environment, 2) test a new
heat transfer system and 3) determine the effects of contamination
and atomic oxygen on ultraviolet optics materials. There were also
four in-cabin experiments, three of them part of the Shuttle Student
Involvement Program.

Finally, an experiment called the Comet Halley Active Monitoring
Program (CHAMP), consisting of a 35mm camera to photograph Comet
Halley through the aft flight deck overhead window, was not
successful because of battery problems.

Not only was the STS 61-C mission difficult to get off the ground,
it proved to be difficult getting it back to Earth. A landing
attempt on Jan. 16 was cancelled because of unfavorable weather at
Edwards AFB. Continued bad weather forced another wave-off the
following day, Jan. 17. The flight was extended one more day to
provide for a landing opportunity at KSC on the Jan. 18th -- this in
order to avoid time lost in an Edwards AFB landing and turnaround.
However, bad weather at the KSC landing site resulted in still
another wave-off.

Columbia finally landed at Edwards AFB at 5:59 a.m. PST, on Jan. 18.
Mission elapsed time was 6 days, 2 hours, 3 minutes, 51 seconds.

After numerous delays [[Columbia (Space Shuttle)|Columbia]] returned to orbit on January 12, 1986. The primary mission was to deploy a [[geosynchronous]] KU-1 communications satellite for RCA Americom. A variety of other experiments were also performed successfully including some using the [[Materials Science Laboratory-2]]. This was the first flight utilizing NASA's [[Get Away Special]] canisters. Perhaps, the mission is most notable for carrying one of only three sitting congressmen into space, [[John Glenn]] and [[Jake Garn]] being the others.
After numerous delays [[Columbia (Space Shuttle)|Columbia]] returned to orbit on January 12, 1986. The primary mission was to deploy a [[geosynchronous]] KU-1 communications satellite for RCA Americom. A variety of other experiments were also performed successfully including some using the [[Materials Science Laboratory-2]]. This was the first flight utilizing NASA's [[Get Away Special]] canisters. Perhaps, the mission is most notable for carrying one of only three sitting congressmen into space, [[John Glenn]] and [[Jake Garn]] being the others.


Revision as of 21:33, 20 July 2004

Mission Insignia
File:61-c-patch.jpg
Mission Statistics
Mission:STS-61-C
Shuttle:Columbia
Launch Pad:39-A
Launch:January 12, 1986 0655 EST
Landing Site:Edwards AFB
Landing:January 18, 1986 0559 PST
Duration:6 d 2 h 3 min 51 s
Orbit Altitude:212 nautical miles (393 km)
Orbit Inclination:28.5 degrees
Distance Traveled: 2,528,658 miles (4,069,481 km)
Crew photo

Crew

Robert L. Gibson, Commander
Charles F. Bolden, Pilot
Franklin Chang-Diaz Mission Specialist
Steven A. Hawley, Mission Specialist
George D. Nelson, Mission Specialist
Robert Cenker (RCA Electronics), Payload Specialist
Rep.Bill Nelson (D-FL), Payload Specialist

Mission Parameters

Mission Highlights

Mission 24 in the Space Shuttle program saw the orbiter Columbia returned to flight for the first time since the STS-9 mission in November 1983, after having undergone major modifications by Rockwell International in California.

The launch originally was scheduled for Dec. 18, but the closeout of an aft orbiter compartment was delayed and the mission was rescheduled for the next day on Dec. 19, the countdown was stopped at T-14 seconds because of a -- out-of-tolerance turbine reading on the right SRBs hydraulic system.

Another launch attempt on Jan. 6, 1986, was terminated at T-31 seconds because a problem in a valve in the liquid oxygen system could not be fixed before the end of the launch window. Other launch attempts were made on Jan. 7, scrubbed because of bad weather at contingency landing sites at Dakar, Senegal, and Moron, Spain; on Jan. 9, delayed because of a problem with a main engine prevalve; and on Jan. 10 because of heavy rain in the launch area.

The launch finally took place at 6:55 a.m. EST, on Jan. 12 without further problems.

The flight crew included Robert L. Gibson, commander; Charles F. Bolden, pilot; three mission specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz, Steven A. Hawley and George D. Nelson; and two payload specialists Robert Cenker RCA Astro-Electronics and U.S. Congressman Bill Nelson.

The primary objective of the mission was to deploy the Ku-l communications satellite, second in a planned series of geosynchronous satellites owned and operated by RCA Americom. The deployment was successful and the satellite eventually became operational. The flight also carried a large number of small experiments, including 13 GAS canisters devoted to investigations involving the effect of microgravity on materials processing, seed germination, chemical reactions, egg hatching, astronomy and atmospheric physics. Other cargo included a Materials Science Laboratory-2 structure for experiments involving liquid bubble suspension by sound waves, melting and resolidification of metallic samples and containerless melting and solidification of electrically conductive specimens. Another small experiment carrier located in the payload bay was the Hitchiker G-l (HHG-l) with three experiments to l) study film particles in the orbiter environment, 2) test a new heat transfer system and 3) determine the effects of contamination and atomic oxygen on ultraviolet optics materials. There were also four in-cabin experiments, three of them part of the Shuttle Student Involvement Program.

Finally, an experiment called the Comet Halley Active Monitoring Program (CHAMP), consisting of a 35mm camera to photograph Comet Halley through the aft flight deck overhead window, was not successful because of battery problems.

Not only was the STS 61-C mission difficult to get off the ground, it proved to be difficult getting it back to Earth. A landing attempt on Jan. 16 was cancelled because of unfavorable weather at Edwards AFB. Continued bad weather forced another wave-off the following day, Jan. 17. The flight was extended one more day to provide for a landing opportunity at KSC on the Jan. 18th -- this in order to avoid time lost in an Edwards AFB landing and turnaround. However, bad weather at the KSC landing site resulted in still another wave-off.

Columbia finally landed at Edwards AFB at 5:59 a.m. PST, on Jan. 18. Mission elapsed time was 6 days, 2 hours, 3 minutes, 51 seconds.

After numerous delays Columbia returned to orbit on January 12, 1986. The primary mission was to deploy a geosynchronous KU-1 communications satellite for RCA Americom. A variety of other experiments were also performed successfully including some using the Materials Science Laboratory-2. This was the first flight utilizing NASA's Get Away Special canisters. Perhaps, the mission is most notable for carrying one of only three sitting congressmen into space, John Glenn and Jake Garn being the others.

Previous Mission:
STS-61-B		 Space Shuttle program Next Mission:
STS-51-L
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=STS-61-C&oldid=4844131"