STS-51-C
Mission · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Launch of Shuttle Discovery and the STS 51-C mission
Credit: NASA
First shuttle military mission. Deployed USA 8 (Aquacade ELINT spacecraft). Experienced blow-by in both nozzle joints and erosion and blow-by in two case joints.
NASA Official Mission Narrative
Mission Name: 51-C (15)
DISCOVERY (3)
Pad 39-A (27)
15th Shuttle mission
3rd Flight OV-103
4th KSC landing
Crew:
Thomas K. Mattingly II (3), Commander
Loren J. Shriver (1), Pilot
Ellison S. Onizuka (1), Mission Specialist 1
James F. Buchli (1), Mission Specialist 2
Gary E. Payton (1), Payload Specialist 1
Milestones:
OPF - Nov. 16,1984
VAB - Dec. 21, 1984
PAD - Jan. 5,1985
Payload:
DoD 85-1
Mission Objectives:
Launch:
January 24, 1985, 2:50:00 p.m. EST. Launch Jan. 23 scrubbed due to freezing weather conditions. (Orbiter CHALLENGER scheduled for Mission 51-C, but thermal tile problems forced substitution of Discovery.) Launch Weight: 250,891 lbs
Orbit:
Altitude: 220nm
Inclination: 28.5 degrees
Orbits: 49
Duration: 3 days, 1 hour, 33 minutes, 23 seconds.
Distance: 1,250,000 miles
Hardware:
SRB: BI-015
SRM: 015LW(HPM)
ET : 14/LWT-7
MLP : 1
SSME-1: SN-2109
SSME-2: SN-2018
SSME-3: SN-2012
Landing:
January 27, 1985, 4:23:23 p.m. EST, Runway 15, Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Rollout distance: 7,352 feet. Rollout time: 50 seconds. Landing Weight: classified.
Mission Highlights:
First mission dedicated to Department of Defense. U.S. Air Force Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) booster deployed and met mission objectives.
More at: STS-51-C.
Related
- Family
- Manned spaceflight
- Country
- USA
- Spacecraft
- Discovery
- Projects
- STS
- Launch Sites
- Cape Canaveral
- Agency
- NASA, NASA Houston
Photo Gallery
STS-51-C
Credit: www.spacefacts.de
STS-51-C
Astronaut Ellison Onizuka eating with chopsticks on the middeck
Credit: NASA
STS-51-C
Astronauts Onizuka and Shriver pose in middeck
Credit: NASA
STS-51-C
Mission Specialist Ellison Onizuka seated at commander's station
Credit: NASA
STS-51-C
Landing of the shuttle Discovery at end of STS 51-C mission
Credit: NASA
Chronology
2 events
1985 January 24
19:50 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. Launch Platform: MLP1. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.- STS-51-C - .
Call Sign: Discovery. Crew: Buchli,
Mattingly,
Onizuka,
Payton,
Shriver.
Payload: Discovery F03 / Magnum 1 [IUS]. Mass: 116,884 kg (257,685 lb). Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Buchli,
Mattingly,
Onizuka,
Payton,
Shriver.
Agency: NASA Houston.
Program: STS.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned spaceplane. Flight: STS-51-C.
Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle.
Spacecraft: Discovery.
Duration: 3.06 days. Decay Date: 1985-01-27 . USAF Sat Cat: 15496 . COSPAR: 1985-010A. Apogee: 341 km (211 mi). Perigee: 332 km (206 mi). Inclination: 28.40 deg. Period: 91.30 min.
Manned five crew. Deployed USA 8 (Aquacade ELINT spacecraft). Orbits of Earth: 48. Landed at: Runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Landing Speed: 342 kph. Touchdown miss distance: 839.00 m. Landing Rollout: 2,240.00 m. Payloads: Department of Defence classified payloads.