STS-51-F – Wikipedia
1985 American crewed spaceflight
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Experiments in Challenger‘s payload bay |
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| Names | Space Transportation System-19 Spacelab 2 |
|---|---|
| Mission sort | Astronomical observations |
| Operator | NASA |
| COSPAR ID | 1985-063A |
| SATCAT no. | 15925 |
| Mission period | 7 days, 22 hours, 45 minutes, 26 seconds |
| Distance travelled | 5,284,350 km (3,283,540 mi) |
| Orbits accomplished | 127 |
| Spacecraft | Space Shuttle Challenger |
| Launch mass | 114,693 kg (252,855 lb) |
| Landing mass | 98,309 kg (216,734 lb) |
| Payload mass | 16,309 kg (35,955 lb) |
| Crew dimension | 7 |
| Members | |
| Launch date | 21:00, July 29, 1985 (UTC) (5:00 pm EDT) |
| Launch website | Kennedy, LC-39A |
| Contractor | Rockwell International |
| Landing date | August 6, 1985, 19:45:26 UTC (12:45:26 pm PDT) |
| Landing website | Edwards, Runway 23 |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 312 km (194 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 320 km (200 mi) |
| Inclination | 49.49° |
| Period | 90.90 minutes |
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 STS-51-F mission patch  Front row (seated): C. Gordon Fullerton, Roy D. Bridges Jr. Back row (standing): Anthony W. England, Karl G. Henize, F. Story Musgrave, Loren W. Acton, John-David F. Bartoe |
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STS-51-F (often known as Spacelab 2) was the nineteenth flight of NASA‘s Space Shuttle program and the eighth flight of Space Shuttle Challenger. It launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on July 29, 1985, and landed eight days in a while August 6, 1985.
While STS-51-F’s main payload was the Spacelab 2 laboratory module, the payload that acquired essentially the most publicity was the Carbonated Beverage Dispenser Evaluation, which was an experiment through which each Coca-Cola and Pepsi tried to make their carbonated drinks accessible to astronauts.[1] A helium-cooled infrared telescope (IRT) was additionally flown on this mission, and whereas it did have some issues, it noticed 60% of the galactic plane in infrared gentle.[2][3]
During launch, Challenger skilled a number of sensor failures in its Engine 1 Center SSME, which led to it shutting down. As a end result, the shuttle needed to carry out an “Abort to Orbit” (ATO) emergency process. It is the one Shuttle mission to have carried out an abort after launching. As a results of the ATO, the mission was carried out at a barely decrease orbital altitude.
Crew seat assignments
[edit]
| Seat[5] | Launch | Landing |  Seats 1–4 are on the flight deck. Seats 5–7 are on the mid-deck. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fullerton | ||
| 2 | Bridges | ||
| 3 | Henize | ||
| 4 | Musgrave | ||
| 5 | England | ||
| 6 | Acton | ||
| 7 | Bartoe | ||
STS-51-F’s first launch try on July 12, 1985, was halted with the countdown at T−3 seconds after predominant engine ignition, when a malfunction of the quantity two RS-25 coolant valve brought on an computerized launch abort. Challenger launched efficiently on its second try on July 29, 1985, at 17:00 p.m. EDT, after a delay of 1 hour 37 minutes as a result of an issue with the desk upkeep block replace uplink.
At 3 minutes 31 seconds into the ascent, one of many middle engine’s two high-pressure gasoline turbopump turbine discharge temperature sensors failed. Two minutes and twelve seconds later, the second sensor failed, inflicting the shutdown of the middle engine. This was the one in-flight RS-25 failure of the Space Shuttle program. Approximately 8 minutes into the flight, one of many identical temperature sensors in the suitable engine failed, and the remaining right-engine temperature sensor displayed readings close to the redline for engine shutdown. Booster Systems Engineer Jenny M. Howard acted shortly to suggest that the crew inhibit any additional computerized RS-25 shutdowns based mostly on readings from the remaining sensors,[6] stopping the potential shutdown of a second engine and a attainable abort mode that will have resulted within the lack of crew and automobile (LOCV).[7][failed verification]
The failed RS-25 resulted in an Abort to Orbit (ATO) trajectory, whereby the shuttle achieved a lower-than-planned orbital altitude. The plan had been for a 385 km (239 mi) by 382 km (237 mi) orbit,[4] however the mission was carried out at 265 km (165 mi) by 262 km (163 mi).[8]
| Attempt | Planned | Result | Turnaround | Reason | Decision level | Weather go (%) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 Jul 1985, 3:30:00 pm | Scrubbed | — | Technical | 12 Jul 1985, 3:29 pm (T−00:00:03) | Pad abort: malfunction in SSME #2 coolant valve shutdown of all three predominant engines.[9][10] | |
| 2 | 29 Jul 1985, 5:00:00 pm | Success | 17 days 1 hour 30 minutes | Launched after 1 hour 37 minute delay to resolve situation with desk upkeep block replace uplink. At T+343 seconds, SSME #1 shut down resulting in ATO (Abort to Orbit).[8] |
STS-51-F’s main payload was the laboratory module Spacelab 2. A particular a part of the modular Spacelab system, the “igloo“, which was positioned on the head of a three-pallet prepare, offered on-site help to devices mounted on pallets. The predominant mission goal was to confirm efficiency of Spacelab programs, decide the interface functionality of the orbiter, and measure the setting created by the spacecraft. Experiments coated life sciences, plasma physics, astronomy, high-energy astrophysics, solar physics, atmospheric physics and technology research. Despite mission replanning necessitated by Challenger‘s abort to orbit trajectory, the Spacelab mission was declared successful.
The flight marked the primary time the European Space Agency (ESA) Instrument Pointing System (IPS) was examined in orbit. This distinctive pointing instrument was designed with an accuracy of 1 arcsecond. Initially, some issues had been skilled when it was commanded to trace the Sun, however a sequence of software program fixes had been made and the issue was corrected. In addition, Anthony W. England turned the second amateur radio operator to transmit from space in the course of the mission.
Spacelab Infrared Telescope
[edit]
The Spacelab Infrared Telescope (IRT) was additionally flown on the mission.[3] The IRT was a 15.2 cm (6.0 in) aperture helium-cooled infrared telescope, observing gentle between wavelengths of 1.7 to 118 μm.[3] It was thought warmth emissions from the Shuttle would corrupt long-wavelength knowledge, nevertheless it nonetheless returned helpful astronomical knowledge.[3] Another downside was {that a} piece of mylar insulation broke unfastened and floated within the line-of-sight of the telescope.[3] IRT collected infrared knowledge on 60% of the galactic airplane.[2] (see additionally List of largest infrared telescopes) A later area mission that skilled a stray light downside from particles was Gaia astrometry spacecraft launch in 2013 by the ESA—the supply of the stray gentle was later recognized because the fibers of the sunshield, protruding past the sides of the protect.[11]
Carbonated Beverage Dispenser Evaluation
[edit]
In a closely publicized advertising experiment, astronauts aboard STS-51-F drank carbonated beverages from specifically designed cans from Cola Wars opponents Coca-Cola and Pepsi.[12] According to Acton, after Coke developed its experimental dispenser for an earlier shuttle flight, Pepsi insisted to American president Ronald Reagan that Coke shouldn’t be the primary cola in area. The experiment was delayed till Pepsi may develop its personal system, and the 2 corporations’ merchandise had been assigned to STS-51-F.[13]
Blue Team examined Coke, and Red Team examined Pepsi. As a part of the experiment, every group was photographed with the cola emblem. Acton mentioned that whereas the subtle Coke system “disbursed soda type of like what we’re used to consuming on Earth”, the Pepsi can was a shaving cream can with the Pepsi emblem on a paper wrapper, which “disbursed soda crammed with bubbles” that was “not very drinkable”.[13] Acton mentioned that when he offers speeches in faculties, audiences are far more fascinated about listening to in regards to the cola experiment than in solar physics.[13] Post-flight, the astronauts revealed that they most popular Tang, partly as a result of it might be combined on-orbit with current chilled-water provides, whereas there was no devoted refrigeration gear on board to relax the cans, which additionally fizzed excessively in microgravity.
The Plasma Diagnostics Package (PDP), which had been beforehand flown on STS-3, made its return on the mission, and was a part of a set of plasma physics experiments designed to check the Earth’s ionosphere. During the third day of the mission, it was grappled out of the payload bay by the Remote Manipulator System (Canadarm) and launched for six hours.[14] During this time, Challenger maneuvered across the PDP as a part of a focused proximity operations train. The PDP was efficiently grappled by the Canadarm and returned to the payload bay at the start of the fourth day of the mission.[14]
In an experiment in the course of the mission, thruster rockets had been fired at a degree over Tasmania and in addition above Boston to create two “holes” – plasma depletion areas – within the ionosphere. A worldwide group of geophysicists collaborated with the observations created from Spacelab 2.[15]
An eggshell and the bone of a child Maiasaura (a hadrosaurid dinosaur from Cretaceous North America), had been introduced alongside on the mission by Acton. They turned the primary dinosaur fossils to have ever been introduced into area.[16]
Challenger landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on August 6, 1985, at 12:45:26 p.m. PDT. Its rollout distance was 2,612 m (8,570 ft). The mission had been prolonged by 17 orbits for added payload actions because of the Abort to Orbit. The orbiter arrived again at Kennedy Space Center on August 11, 1985.
The mission insignia was designed by Houston, Texas, artist Skip Bradley. Space Shuttle Challenger is depicted ascending towards the heavens looking for new information within the subject of photo voltaic and stellar astronomy, with its Spacelab 2 payload. The constellations Leo and Orion are proven within the positions they had been in relative to the Sun in the course of the flight. The nineteen stars point out that the mission is the nineteenth shuttle flight.
One of the needs of the mission was to check how appropriate the Shuttle was for conducting infrared observations, and the IRT was operated on this mission.[17] However, the orbiter was discovered to have some drawbacks for infrared astronomy, and this led to later infrared telescopes being free-flying from the Shuttle orbiter.[17]
- ↑ “9 Weird Things That Flew on NASA’s Space Shuttles – Final Shuttle Missions and NASA’s Space Shuttle Souvenirs – NASA Shuttle Program”. Space.com. July 7, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
- 1 2 “Archived copy of Infrared Astronomy From Earth Orbit”. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Kent, S. M.; Dame, T. M.; Fazio, G. (September 1, 1991). “Galactic Structure from the Spacelab Infrared Telescope. II. Luminosity Models of the Milky Way”. The Astrophysical Journal. 378: 131. Bibcode:1992ApJS…78..403K. doi:10.1086/170413. ISSN 0004-637X.
- 1 2 3
This article incorporates textual content from this supply, which is within the public domain: “Space Shuttle Mission STS-51F Press Kit” (PDF). NASA. 1985. Archived (PDF) from the unique on July 18, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2014. - ↑ “STS-51F”. Spacefacts. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ↑ Travis, Matthew (October 16, 2012). NASA STS-51F space shuttle launch, SSME shutdown and mid-ascent Abort To Orbit (ATO) – July 29, 1985. Retrieved October 2, 2022 – through YouTube.
- ↑ This article incorporates textual content from this supply, which is within the public domain: Welch, Brian (August 9, 1985). “Limits to inhibit” (PDF). Space News Roundup. Houston, Texas: NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. pp. 1, 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2009. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
- 1 2 This article incorporates textual content from this supply, which is within the public domain: Legler, Robert D.; Bennett, Floyd V (September 1, 2011). “Space Shuttle Missions Summary” (PDF). NASA Scientific and Technical Information Program Office. Archived (PDF) from the unique on October 21, 2020.
- ↑ This article incorporates textual content from this supply, which is within the public domain: “STS-51F Launch attempt #1”. NASA. Archived from the original on April 27, 2020 – through YouTube.
- ↑ “Radio Coverage of STS-51F launch attempt 1”. AP. Archived from the unique on November 23, 2021 – through YouTube.
- ↑ “STATUS OF THE GAIA STRAYLIGHT ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION ACTIONS”. ESA. December 17, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
- ↑ Pearlman, Robert (May 31, 2001). “A Brief History of Space Marketing”. Space.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
- 1 2 3 “Loren Acton: The Coke and Pepsi Flight”. Air & Space/Smithsonian. Smithsonian Institution. November 18, 2010. Archived from the unique on April 12, 2022.
- 1 2 This article incorporates textual content from this supply, which is within the public domain: “STS-51F National Space Transportation System Mission Report”. NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. September 1985. p. 2. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
- ↑ “Elizabeth A. Essex-Cohen Ionospheric Physics Papers”. 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
- ↑ Chure, D. (2009). “dino bones in space – was it a PR thing”. Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Archived from the original on November 8, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
- 1 2 “The Space Review: From Skylab to Shuttle to the Smithsonian”. thespacereview.com. October 16, 2017. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
- NASA mission summary Archived May 14, 2011, on the Wayback Machine
- Press Kit Archived February 21, 2013, on the Wayback Machine
- STS-51F Video Highlights Archived September 26, 2013, on the Wayback Machine
- Space Coke can Archived June 22, 2012, on the Wayback Machine
- Carbonated Drinks in Space Archived September 30, 2006, on the Wayback Machine
- STS-51F launch, abort and landing on YouTube
- July 12 launch attempt on YouTube
- Space Shuttle Missions Summary Archived October 21, 2020, on the Wayback Machine
