41-B (10)

CHALLENGER (4)

Pad 39-A (22)

10th Shuttle mission

4th Flight OV-099

1st KSC landing

Crew:

Vance D. Brand (3), Commander

Robert L. Gibson (1), Pilot

Bruce McCandless II (1), Mission Specialist

Ronald E. McNair (1), Mission Specialist

Robert L. Stewart (1), Mission Specialist

Milestones:

OPF - Sept. 10, 1983

VAB - Jan.6, 1984

PAD - Jan. 12, 1984

Payload:

PALAPA-B2WESTAR-6,ACES,IEF,RME,MLR(4),SSIP(x1),IRT,GAS(x5)

Mission Objectives:

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Launch:

February 3, 1984, 8:00:00 a.m, EST. Launch set for Jan. 29 postponed five days while orbiter still in OPF to allow changeout of all three auxiliary power units (APUs), a precautionary measure in response to APU failures on previous STS-9mission. Launch Weight: 250,452 lbs.

Orbit:

Altitude: 189nm

Inclination: 28.5 degrees

Orbits: 128

Duration: 7 days, 23 hours, 15 minutes, 55 seconds.

Distance: 3,311,380 miles

Hardware:

SRM: 010MW(HPM)

ET : 10/LWT-3

MLP : 2

SSME-1: SN-2109

SSME-2: SN-2015

SSME-3: SN-2012

Landing:

February 11, 1984, 7:15:55 a.m, EST, Runway 15, Kennedy Space Center. Fla. Rollout distance: 10,815 feet. Rollout time: 67 seconds. First end-of-mission landing at KSC. Landing Weight: 201,238 lbs.

Mission Highlights:

First untethered space walks by McCandless and Stewart, using manned maneuvering unit. WESTAR-VI and PALAPA-B2 satellites deployed, but failure of Payload Assist Module-D (PAM-D) rocket motors left them in radical low-Earth orbits. German-built Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS), first flown on STS-7, became first satellite refurbished and flown again SPAS remained in payload bay due to electrical problem with Remote Manipulator System (RMS). RMS manipulator foot restraint first used, practice procedures performed for Solar Maximum satellite retrieval and repair planned for next mission. Integrated Rendezvous Target (IRT) failed due to internal failure. Five Get Away Special canisters flown in cargo bay and Cinema-360 camera used by crew. Other payloads: Acoustic Containerless Experiment System (ACES); Monodisperse Latex Reactor (MLR); and Radiation Monitoring Equipment (RME), and Isoelectric FocusingIEF) payload.

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