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STS-51-J

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STS-51-J
COSPAR ID1985-092A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.16115Edit this on Wikidata
End of mission
 

STS-51-J was a NASA Space Shuttle mission. It was the first flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis and the 21st shuttle mission overall. It launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 3 October 1985, carrying a payload for the U.S. Department of Defense, and landed four days later, on 7 October.

Crew

Position Astronaut
Commander Karol J. Bobko
Third spaceflight
Pilot Ronald J. Grabe
First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1 David C. Hilmers
First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2 Robert L. Stewart
Second spaceflight
Payload Specialist William A. Pailes, MSE
Only spaceflight

Backup crew

Position Astronaut
Payload Specialist Michael Booen

Mission parameters

  • Mass:
    • Landing weight: 190,400 pounds (86,400 kg)
    • Payload: 19,968 kilograms (44,022 lb)
      2 x DSCS-III satellites (B4/B5) @ 2,613 kilograms (5,761 lb) each[1]
      Boeing Inertial Upper Stage 14,742 kilograms (32,501 lb)[2]
  • Perigee: 295 miles (475 km)
  • Apogee: 301 miles (484 km)
  • Inclination: 28.5°
  • Period: 94.2 min

Mission summary

Declassified picture showing the satellites before deployment.
Liftoff of the first flight of Atlantis and the STS 51-J mission.
Space Shuttle Atlantis lands on the dry desert lakebed of Edwards Air Force Base at the end of STS 51-J mission.

STS-51-J launched on 3 October 1985, at 11:15 EDT, from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. The launch was delayed by 22 minutes and 30 seconds due to a problem with a main engine liquid hydrogen prevalve close remote power controller; the controller was showing a faulty "on" indication.

The mission was the second shuttle flight totally dedicated to deploying a Department of Defense payload, after STS-51-C. Its cargo was classified, but it was reported that two (USA-11 and USA-12) DSCS-III (Defense Satellite Communications System) satellites were launched into stationary orbits by an Inertial Upper Stage. The DSCS satellites used X-band frequencies (8/7 GHz). Each DSCS-III satellite had a design life of ten years, although several of the DSCS satellites have far exceeded their design life expectancy and continue to operate effectively as of 2011.[citation needed]

The mission was deemed successful. After a flight lasting 4 days, 1 hour and 45 minutes, Atlantis landed on Runway 23 at Edwards Air Force Base at 13:00 EDT on 7 October 1985.

See also

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

  1. ^ http://www.astronautix.com/craft/dscsiii.htm
  2. ^ http://www.fas.org/spp/military/program/launch/ius.htm
  • Day, Dwayne (2010). "A lighter shade of black: the (non) mystery of STS-51J". The Space Review. Retrieved 4 January 2010.

External links


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