Orbiter: Challenger (STA-099, OV-99)
- Pad 39-A (25)
- 13th Shuttle mission
- 6th Flight OV-99
- 2nd KSC landing
Crew:
- Robert L. Crippen (4), Commander
- Jon A. McBride (1), Pilot
- Kathryn D. Sullivan (1), Mission Specialist 1
- Sally K. Ride (2), Mission Specialist 2
- David C. Leestma (1), Mission Specialist 3
- Marc Garneau (1), Payload Specialist 1
- Paul D. Scully-Power (1), Payload Specialist 2
Milestones:
- OPF - April 18, 1984
- VAB - Sept. 8, 1984
- PAD - Sept 13, 1984
Payload:
- OSTA-3
- ERBS
- LFC/ORS
- RME(4)
- TLD
- APE
- CANEX
- IMAX-CAMERA(3)
Launch:
- October 5, 1984, 7:03:00 a.m. EDT.
- Launch proceeded as scheduled with no delays.
- Launch Weight: 242,780 lbs
Orbit:
- Altitude: 218nm
- Inclination: 57.0 degrees
- Orbits: 133
- Duration: Eight days, five hours, 23 minutes, 33 seconds.
- Distance: 3,289,444 miles
Hardware:
- SRB: BI-013
- SRM: 012LW(HPM)
- ET : 15/LWT-8
- MLP : 1
- SSME-1: SN-2023
- SSME-2: SN-2020
- SSME-3: SN-2021
Landing:
- October 13, 1984, 12:26:33 p.m. EDT, Runway 33, Kennedy Space Center. Fla.
- Rollout distance: 10,633 feet.
- Rollout time: 59 seconds.
- Landing Weight: 202,266 lbs.
Mission Highlights:
First flight to include two women, Ride and Sullivan. Sullivan first American woman to walk in space. Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) deployed less than nine hours into flight. Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications-3 (OSTA-3) carried three experiments in payload bay. Components of Orbital Refueling System (ORS) connected, demonstrating it is possible to refuel satellites in orbit. Other Payloads: Large Format Camera (LFC IMAX Camera, flying for third time; package of Canadian Experiments (CANEX); Auroral Photography Experiment (APE); Radiation Monitoring Equipment (RME); Thermoluminiscent Dosimeter (TLD); and eight Get Away Specials._z_space_z_);
First flight to include two women, Ride and Sullivan. Sullivan first American woman to walk in space. Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) deployed less than nine hours into flight. Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications-3 (OSTA-3) carried three experiments in payload bay. Components of Orbital Refueling System (ORS) connected, demonstrating it is possible to refuel satellites in orbit. Other Payloads: Large Format Camera (LFC IMAX Camera, flying for third time; package of Canadian Experiments (CANEX); Auroral Photography Experiment (APE); Radiation Monitoring Equipment (RME); Thermoluminiscent Dosimeter (TLD); and eight Get Away Specials._z_space_z_);