51-D (16)

DISCOVERY (4)

Pad 39-A (28)

16th Shuttle mission

4th Flight OV-103

Extended mission

5th KSC landing

Crew:

Karol J. Bobko (2), Commander

Donald E. Williams (1), Pilot

M. Rhea Seddon (1), Mission Specialist 1

Jeffrey A. Hoffman (1), Mission Specialist 2

S. David Griggs (1), Mission Specialist 3

Charles D. Walker (2), Payload Specialist 1

Sen E. Jake Garn (1), Payload Specialist 2

Milestones:

OPF - Jan. 28, 1985

VAB - March 23,1985

PAD - March 28, 1985

Payload:

LEASAT-3,ANIK-E2,CFES(6),AFE,PPE/SAS,SSIP(x2),GAS(x2)

Mission Objectives:

Click here for Additional Info on 51-D

Launch:

April 12, 1985, 8:59:05 a.m. EST. Launch set for March 19 rescheduled to March 28 due to remanifesting of payloads from canceled mission 51-E. Delayed further due to damage to orbiter's payload bay door when facility access platform dropped. Launch April 12 delayed 55 minutes when ship entered restricted solid rocket booster recovery area. Launch Weight: 250,891 lbs.

Orbit:

Altitude: 285nm

Inclination: 28.5 degrees

Orbits: 110

Duration: Six days, 23 hours, 55 minutes, 23 seconds.

Distance: 2,889,785 miles

Hardware:

SRB: BI-018

SRM: L017(HPM)

ET : 18/LWT-11

MLP : 1

SSME-1: SN-2109

SSME-2: SN-2018

SSME-3: SN-2012

Landing:

April 19, 1985,8:54:28 a.m. EST, Runway 33, Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Rollout distance: 10,430 feet. Rollout time: 63 seconds. Extensive brake damage and blown tire during landing prompted landing of future flights at Edwards Air Force Base until implementation of nose wheel steering. Landing Weight: 198,014 lbs.

Mission Highlights:

TELESAT-l (ANIK C-1) communications satellite deployed, attached to Payload Assist Module (PAM-D) motor. SYNCOM IV-3 (also known as EASAT-3) deployed. but spacecraft sequencer failed to initiate antenna deployment, spin.up and ignition of perigee kick motor. Mission extended two days to make certain sequencer start lever in proper position. Griggs and Hoffman performed space walk to attach Flyswatter devices to remote manipulator system. Seddon engaged LEASAT lever using remote manipulator system but post deployment sequence did not begin. Other payloads: Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System (CFES) III, flying for sixth time; two Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP) experiments; American Flight Echocardiograph (AFE); two Get Away Specials; Phase Partitioning Experiments (PPE); astronomy Photography verification test; medical experiments and `toys in space, an informal study of the behavior of simple toys in weightless environment, with results to be made available to school students.

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