Mission Insignia
Mission Statistics
Mission:	STS-51-F
Shuttle:	Challenger
Launch Pad:	39A
Launch:	July 29, 1985 5:00:00 p.m. EDT (21:00:00 UTC)
Landing:	August 6, 1985 12:45:26 p.m. PDT (19:45:26 UTC) Edwards AFB, California, Runway 23
Duration:	7 days, 22 hours, 45 minutes, 26 seconds
Orbit Altitude:	173 nautical miles (320 km)
Orbit Inclination:	49.5 degrees
Orbits:	127
Miles Traveled:	3,283,543 miles (5,284,350 km)
Crew photo
Front row (seated) L-R: Fullerton, Bridges, Back row (standing) L-R: England, Henize, Musgrave, Acton, Bartoe

STS-51-F (Spacelab 2) was the nineteenth flight of a Space Shuttle and the eighth flight of Challenger.

Crew

• Commander: C. Gordon Fullerton(2)
• Pilot: Roy D. Bridges, Jr. (1)
• Mission Specialist 1: F. Story Musgrave(2)
• Mission Specialist 2: Anthony W. England(1)
• Mission Specialist 3: Karl G. Henize(1)
• Payload Specialist 1: Loren W. Acton(1)
• Payload Specialist 2: John-David F. Bartoe(1)
  • Alternate Payload Specialist 1: George W. Simon (not flown)
  • Alternate Payload Specialist 2: Diane K. Prinz (not flown)

Mission Parameters

• Mass:
  • Orbiter Liftoff: 114,590 kg
  • Orbiter Landing: 98,307 kg
  • Payload: 15,603 kg
• Perigee: 203 km
• Apogee: 337 km
• Inclination: 49.5°
• Period: 89.9 min

Mission Highlights

Primary payload was Spacelab-2. Despite abort-to-orbit, which required mission replanning, mission declared success. Special part of modular Spacelab system, the Igloo, located at head of three-pallet train, provided on-site support to instruments mounted on pallets. Main mission objective was to verify performance of Spacelab systems and determine interface capability of orbiter, and measure environment induced by spacecraft. Experiments covered life sciences, plasma physics, astronomy, High-Energy astrophysics, solar physics , atmospheric physics and technology research .

The flight marked the first time the ESA Instrument Pointing System (IPS) was tested in orbit. This unique experiment pointing instrument was designed with an accuracy of one arc second. Initially, some problems were experienced when it was commanded to track the Sun. A series of software fixes were made and the problem was corrected.

The payload with the most publicity probably was the Carbonated Beverage Dispenser Evaluation - an experiment where both Coca-Cola as well as Pepsi tried to make their drinks available to astronauts. Both fizzed excessively in microgravity.

Launch

July 29, 1985, 5:00:00 p.m. EDT. Launch countdown July 12 halted at T-3 seconds after main engine ignition when a malfunction of number two Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) coolant valve caused shutdown of all three main engines. Launch July 29 delayed one hour, 37 minutes due to problem with table maintenance block update uplink. Five minutes, 45 seconds into ascent, number one main engine shutdown prematurely, resulting In an Abort To Orbit (ATO) trajectory. Launch Weight: 252,855 lb (114.693 t).

Landing

August 6, 1985, 12:45:26 p.m. PDT, Runway 23, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Rollout distance: 8,569 ft (2.612 km). Rollout time: 55 seconds. Mission extended 17 revolutions for additional payload activities due to abort-to-orbit. Orbiter returned to KSC August 11, 1985. Landing Weight: 216,735 lb (98.309 t).

Mission Insignia

The mission insignia was designed by Houston artist Skip Bradley. The Space Shuttle Challenger is depicted ascending toward the heavens in search of new knowledge in the field of solar and stellar astronomy, with its Spacelab 2 payload. The constellations Leo and Orion are in the positions they will be in, relative to the Sun during the flight. The nineteen stars signify that this will be the 19th STS flight.

Related articles

• Space science
• Space shuttle
• List of space shuttle missions
• List of human spaceflights chronologically

External links

• NASA mission summary
• Press Kit
• Additional NASA info