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STS-34

Spacecraft · USA

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

STS-34
STS-34
STS-34 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, lifts off from KSC LC Pad 39B
Credit: NASA

Deployed Galileo Jupiter probe.

NASA Official Mission Narrative

Mission Name: STS-34 (31)
Atlantis (5)
Pad 39-B (12)
31st Shuttle mission
5th Flight OV-104

Crew:
Donald E. Williams (2), Commander
Michael J. McCulley (1), Pilot
Franklin R. Chang-Diaz (2), Mission Specialist 1
Shannon W. Lucid (2), Mission Specialist 2
Ellen S. Baker (1), Mission Specialist 3

Milestones:
OPF - May 16, 1989
VAB - Aug. 21, 1989
PAD - Aug. 29, 1989

Payload:
GALILEO,IMAX-02,SSBUV-01
Mission Objectives:

Launch:
October 18, 1989, 12:53:40 p.m. EDT. Launch set for Oct. 12 rescheduled due to faulty main engine controller on number two main engine. Launch set for Oct. 17 rescheduled due to weather constraints for a return-to-launch-site landing at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility. Launch Weight: 257,569 lbs.
Orbit:
Altitude: 185nm
Inclination: 34.3 degrees
Orbits: 79
Duration: 4 days, 23 hours, 39 minutes, 20 seconds.
Distance: 2,000,000 miles (approx)

Hardware:
SRB: BI-032
SRM: 360L006
ET : 27/LWT-20
MLP : 1
SSME-1: SN-2027
SSME-2: SN-2030
SSME-3: SN-2029

Landing:
October 23, 1989, 9:33:00 a.m. PDT, Runway 23, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Rollout distance: 9,677 feet. Rollout time: 60 seconds. Orbiter returned to KSC Oct. 29, 1989. Landing Weight: 195,954 lbs.

Mission Highlights:
Primary payload, Galileo/Jupiter spacecraft and attached Inertial Upper Stage (IUS), deployed six hours, 30 minutes into flight. IUS stages fired, placing Galileo on trajectory for six-year trip to Jupiter via gravitational boosts from Venus and Earth and possible observational brushes with asteroids Gaspra and Ida. Secondary payloads included Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment carried in cargo bay, and in crew cabin, Growth Hormone Crystal Distribution (GHCD); Polymer Morphology (PM), Sensor Technology Experiment (STEX); Mesoscale Lightning Experiment (MLE); IMAX camera; Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP) experiment that investigated ice crystal formation in zero gravity; and ground-based Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) experiment

More at: STS-34.

Related

Country
USA
Spacecraft
Atlantis
Projects
STS
Launch Sites
Cape Canaveral

Photo Gallery

  • STS-34
    STS-34
    Credit: www.spacefacts.de
  • STS-34
    STS-34
    STS-34 Galileo spacecraft / IUS deployment sequence in OV-104's payload bay
    Credit: NASA
  • STS-34
    STS-34
    STS-34 Galileo spacecraft / inertial upper stage (IUS) deployment
    Credit: NASA
  • STS-34
    STS-34
    STS-34 Commander Williams looks away from forward flight deck controls
    Credit: NASA
  • STS-34
    STS-34
    Moon taken by Galileo after completing its first Earth Gravity Assist
    Credit: NASA

Chronology

7 events

1989 October 18

16:53 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39B. Launch Platform: MLP1. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.
  • STS-34 - . Call Sign: Atlantis. Crew: Baker, Chang-Diaz, Lucid, McCulley, Williams, Donald. Payload: Atlantis F05 / Galileo [IUS]. Mass: 22,064 kg (48,642 lb). Nation: USA. Related Persons: Baker, Chang-Diaz, Lucid, McCulley, Williams, Donald. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: STS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spaceplane. Flight: STS-34. Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle. Spacecraft: Atlantis. Duration: 4.99 days. Decay Date: 1989-10-23 . USAF Sat Cat: 20297 . COSPAR: 1989-084A. Apogee: 307 km (190 mi). Perigee: 298 km (185 mi). Inclination: 34.30 deg. Period: 90.60 min.

    Manned five crew. Deployed Galileo .Payloads: Deploy IUS with Galileo spacecraft. Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV), Polymer Morphology (PM) experiments, IMAX camera project, Mesoscale Lightning Experiment (MLE), Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) experiment, Growth Hormone Concentration and Distribution (GHCD) in Plants experiment, Sensor Technology Experiment (STEX), SSIP Student Experiment (SE) 82-15, Ice Crystals Experiment. First flight at this inclination.

1989 October 19

  • STS-34 - Wakeup Song: Hail Purdue - . Flight: STS-34. "Hail Purdue" , 2."Reveille", 3."Anchors Aweigh" as tribute to commander Don Williams and pilot Mike McCulley who were both Purdue and Naval Academy graduates. CAPCOM: Tammy Jernigan.

1989 October 20

  • STS-34 - Wakeup Song: University fight songs medley - . Flight: STS-34.

    "University fight songs medley" sent as a tribute to the Mission Specialists and their undergraduate schools: 1. University of Oklahoma for Shannon Lucid, 2. University of Connecticut for Franklin Chang-Diaz, 3. State University of New York at Buffalo for Ellen Baker. CAPCOM: Tammy Jernigan

1989 October 21

  • STS-34 - Wakeup Song: Bohemian Rhapsody - . Flight: STS-34. "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. Words"Galileo, Galileo" referring to primary payload"Galileo" were substituted for original words"Mama Mia, Mama Mia" by voice of Don McMonagle. CAPCOM: Tammy Jernigan.

1989 October 22

  • STS-34 - Wakeup Song: Centerfield - . Flight: STS-34. "Centerfield" John Fogerty for sports fans onboard. CAPCOM: Tammy Jernigan.

1989 October 23

  • STS-34 - Wakeup Song: Fly Like An Eagle - . Flight: STS-34. "Fly Like An Eagle" Steve Miller Band CAPCOM: Ken Cameron.

1989 October 23