51-B (17)

CHALLENGER (7)

Pad 39-A (29)

17th Shuttle mission

7th Flight OV-O99

3rd Rollback

Crew:

Robert F. Overmyer (2), Commander

Frederick D. Gregory (1), Pilot

Don L. Lind (1), Mission Specialist 1

Norman E. Thagard (2), Mission Specialist 2

William E. Thornton (2), Mission Specialist 3

Lodewijk van den Berg (1), Payload Specialist 1

Taylor G. Wang (1), Payload Specialist 2

Milestones:

Flow A:

OPF - Oct. 13,1984

VAB - Feb. 10,1985

PAD - Feb. 15,1985

Flow B (rollback):

VAB - March 4,1985

OPF - March 7, 1985

VAB - April 10,1985

PAD - April 15, 1985

Payload:

SPACELAB-3

Mission Objectives:

Click here for Additional Info on 51-B

Launch:

April 29,1985,12:02:18 p.m. EDT. Flight first manifested as 51-E; rolled back from pad due to timing problem with TDRS-B payload. Mission 51-E cancelled; orbiter remanifested with 51-B payloads. Launch April 29 delayed two minutes,18 seconds due to a launch processing system failure. Launch Weight: 246,880 lbs.

Orbit:

Altitude: 222nm

Inclination: 57.0 degrees

Orbits: 111

Duration: Seven days zero hours, eight minutes, 46 seconds.

Distance: 2,890,383 miles

Hardware:

SRB: BI-016

SRM: L016(HPM)

ET : 17/LWT-10

MLP : 2

SSME-1: SN-2023

SSME-2: SN-2020

SSME-3: SN-2021

Landing:

May 6, 1985,9:11:04 a.m. PDT, Runway 17, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Rollout distance: 8.317 feet. Rollout time: 59 seconds. First Crosswind Landing. Orbiter returned to KSC May 11,1985. Landing Weight: 212,465 lbs.

Mission Highlights:

Primary payload was Spacelab-3. First operational flight for Spacelab orbital laboratory series developed by European Space Agency. Five basic discipline areas: materials sciences, life sciences, fluid mechanics, atmospheric physics. and astronomy main mission objective with Spacelab-3 was to provide high quality microgravity environment for delicate materials processing and fluid experiments. Two monkeys and 24 rodents observed for effects of weightlessness. Of 15 Spacelab primary experiments conducted, 14 considered successful. Two Get Away Specials on board.

KSC Home

Mission Index

Last Mission 51-D

Next Mission 51-G