STS-30 (29)

Atlantis (4)

Pad 39-B (10)

29th Shuttle mission

4th Flight OV-104

Crew:

David M. Walker (2), Commander

Ronald J. Grabe (2), Pilot

Norman E. Thagard (3), Mission Specialist 1

Mary L. Cleave (2), Mission Specialist 2

Mark C. Lee (1), Mission Specialist 3

Milestones:

OPF - Dec. 14,1988

VAB - March 11,1989

PAD - March 22, 1989

Payload:

MAGELLAN

Mission Objectives:

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Launch:

May 4, 1989,2:48:59 p.m. EDT. Launch April 28 scrubbed at T-31 seconds due to problem with liquid hydrogen recirculation pump on number one main engine and vapor leak in four-inch liquid hydrogen recirculation line between orbiter and external tank. Repairs made and launch reset for May 4. Liftoff delayed until last five minutes of 64-minute window opening at 1:48 a.m.. EDT due to cloud cover and high winds at KSC Shuttle runway, violating return- to-launch site limits. Launch Weight: 261,118 lbs.

Orbit:

Altitude: 184nm

Inclination: 28.8 degrees

Orbits: 65

Duration: 4 days, 0 hours, 56 minutes, 28 seconds.

Distance: 1,681,997 miles

Hardware:

SRB: BI-027

SRM: 360Q/H004

ET : 29/LWT-22

MLP : 1

SSME-1: SN-2027

SSME-2: SN-2030

SSME-3: SN-2029

Landing:

May 8, 1989, 12:43:27 p.m. PDT, Runway 22, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Rollout distance: 10,295 feet. Rollout time: 64 seconds. Orbiter returned to KSC May 15,1989. Landing Weight: 192,459 lbs.

Mission Highlights:

Primary payload, Magellan/Venus radar mapper spacecraft and attached Inertial Upper Stage (IUS), deployed six hours, 14 minutes into Flight. IUS first and second stage fired as planned, boosting Magellan spacecraft on proper trajectory for 15-month journey to Venus. Secondary payloads: Mesoscale Lightning Experiment (MLE), microgravity research with Fluids Experiment Apparatus (FEA), and Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) experiment.

One of five General Purpose Computers (GPC) failed and had to be replaced with a sixth onboard hardware spare. First time a GPC was switched on orbit.

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