Manned Flight n°: 102 |
Earth orbit Flight n°: 99 |
USA manned Flight n°: 45 |
Launch, orbit & landing data:
| Designation | 15382 / 84113A |
| Launch date - time | 08 Nov 1984 - 12:15:00 UT |
| Launch site | KSC, LC39A |
| Launch vehicle |
Space Shuttle |
| Orbiter | Discovery OV-103 (#2) |
| Primary payload | Anik D2/SYNCOM IV-1 |
| Mass (kg) | |
| Call Sign | |
| Earth orbit on : |
| - Perigee / Apogee | 289 / 297 km |
| - Inclination | 28.4° |
| - Period | 90.4 min |
| Landing date - time | 16 Nov 1984 - 11:59:56 UT |
| Landing location | KSC, Runway 15 |
| Flight Duration | 7d 23h 44m |
| Nbr orbits | 127 |
|
|
First satellite recovery/return
Flight Crew
| Nr. |
Surname |
Given name |
Job |
Duration |
| 1 |
Hauck |
Frederick Hamilton "Rick" |
CDR |
7d 23h 44m |
| 2 |
Walker |
David Mathieson |
PLT |
7d 23h 44m |
| 3 |
Fisher |
Anna Lee |
MSP |
7d 23h 44m |
| 4 |
Gardner |
Dale Alan |
MSP |
7d 23h 44m |
| 5 |
Allen |
Joseph Percival IV |
MSP |
7d 23h 44m |
Mission details:
Launch from Cape Canaveral (KSC); landing in Cape
Canaveral (KSC); deploying communications satellites Anik D4 (Canada) and
Syncom IV-2/Leasat 2 (US Navy); EVA's by Allen and Gardner on 12. and
14.11.1984 (5h and 5h 43m); retrieving of malfunctioning satellites Palapa
B-2 (Indonesia) und Westar 6 (USA); both satellites were carried back to
Earth and later (under a new name) again deployed.
LV Configuration: STS-19 (51-A).. Payload: Discovery F02 / PLT. Mass: 20,550 kg. Perigee: 289 km. Apogee: 297 km. Inclination: 28.4 deg. Period: 90.4 min.
 | STS-51-A - Aerial view of the launch of STS 51-A shuttle Discovery - Credit: NASA. |
Manned five crew. First retrieval of two satellites (PALAPA B-2 and WESTAR Vl) for return to earth. Deployed Anik D2, Leasat 2; recovered Westar 6, Palapa B2. Payloads: Telesat (Canada communications satellite)-H with Payload Assist Module (PAM)-D deploy-ment, Syncom IV-1 communications satellite deployment with its unique stage, retrieval of PALAPA B-2 and WESTAR VI communications satellites with PAM-D which failed to ignite on the STS-41-B mission. Manned maneuvering unit (MMU) used for retrieval. Diffusive Mixing of Organic Solutions (DMOS) experiment.
 | STS-51-A - View of the launch of STS 51-A shuttle Discovery - Credit: NASA. |
Orbits of Earth: 126. Distance traveled: 5,293,785 km. Orbiter Liftoff Mass: 119,441 kg. Orbiter Mass at Landing: 94,120 kg. Payload to Orbit: 20,550 kg. Payload Returned: 11,273 kg. Landed at: Runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Landing Speed: 344 kph. Touchdown miss distance: 828 m. Landing Rollout: 2,883 m. EVA: Joseph Allen and Dale Gardner. EVA No. 1 duration, 6 hours, 13 minutes. EVA No. 2 duration, 6 hours and 1 minute. Manned maneuvering unit (MMU) operating time Joseph Allen 2 hours, 22 minutes, Dale Gardner 1 hour, 40 minutes.
 | STS-51-A - Astronaut Dale Gardner tethered to Discovery's starboard side. - Credit: NASA. |
NASA Official Mission NarrativeMission Name: 51-A (14)
DISCOVERY (2)
Pad 39-A (26)
14th Shuttle mission
2nd Flight OV-103
3rd KSC landing
 | STS-51-A - Astronat Dale Gardner using MMU to travel to Westar VI satellite - Credit: NASA. |
Crew:
Frederick H. Hauck (2), Commander
David M. Walker (1), Pilot
Anna L. Fisher (1), Mission Specialist 1
Dale A. Gardner (2), Mission Specialist 2
Joseph P. Allen (2), Mission Specialist 3
 | STS-51-A - Astronaut Dale Gardner using MMU to travel to Westar VI satellite - Credit: NASA. 59,085 bytes. 618 x 618 pixels. |
Milestones:
OPF - Sept. 10,1984
VAB - Oct. 18,1984
PAD - Oct. 23, 1984 Payload:
ANIK-D2,LEASAT-2,DMOS,RME(5)
Mission Objectives:
 | STS-51-A - Astronaut Dale Gardner using MMU to travel to Westar VI satellite - Credit: NASA. |
Launch:
November 8, 1984,7:15:00 a.m. EST. Launch attempt Nov. 7 scrubbed during built-in hold at T-20 minutes due to wind shears in upper atmosphere. Countdown Nov. 8 proceeded as scheduled. Launch Weight: 263,324 lbs.
Orbit:
Altitude: 185nm
Inclination: 28.5 degrees
Orbits: 127
Duration: 7 days, 23 hours, 44 minutes, 56 seconds.
Distance: 3,289,406 miles
 | STS-51-A - Astronat Dale Gardner achieves hard dock with Westar VI satellite - Credit: NASA. 19,286 bytes. 330 x 330 pixels. |
Hardware:
SRB: BI-014
SRM: 014LW(HPM)
ET : 16/LWT-9
MLP : 2
SSME-1: SN-2109
SSME-2: SN-2018
SSME-3: SN-2012
 | STS-51-A - Astronauts Gardner and Allen bringing Westar VI satellite into payload bay - Credit: NASA. |
Landing:
November 16, 1984, 6:59:56 a.m. EST, Runway 15, Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Rollout distance: 9,461 feet Rollout time: 58 seconds. Landing Weight: 207,505 lbs.
 | STS-51-A - Astronauts Gardner and Allen during loading of Westar VI in payload bay - Credit: NASA. 29,523 bytes. 506 x 506 pixels. |
Mission Highlights:
Canadian communications satellite TELESAT-H (ANIK), attached to Payload Assist Module-D (PAM-D), deployed into geosynchronous orbit on flight day two. On third day, defense communications satellite SYNCOM IV-I (also known as LEASAT-1) deployed. Allen and Gardner, wearing jet-propelled manned maneuvering units, retrieved two malfunctioning satellites: PALAPA-B2 and WESTAR-VI, both deployed on Mission 41-B. Fisher operated remote manipulator system, grappling satellites and depositing them in payload bay. Middeck payloads: Diffusive Mixing of Organic Solutions (DMOS), and Radiation Monitoring Equipment (RME).
 | STS-51-A - Astronauts Gardner and Allen during loading of Palapa B-2 in payload bay - Credit: NASA. |
 | STS-51-A - Astronauts Joseph Allen rides cherry picker over stowage area/work station - Credit: NASA. |
 | STS-51-A - Astronauts Gardner and Allen on the RMS after recapture of Westar VI - Credit: NASA. |
 | STS-51-A - Astronaut Dale Gardner holds up for sale sign after EVA - Credit: NASA. |
 | STS-51-A - Astronaut Anna Fisher poses near a 3M experiment involving the DMOS - Credit: NASA. |
 | STS-51-A - Syncom IV-1 satellite leaving Discovery's payload bay - Credit: NASA. 32,345 bytes. 518 x 518 pixels. |
|
Ref.: #1, #6, #7, #8, #16 - update: 16.03.06
|
Home |
