41-C (11)

CHALLENGER (5)

Pad 39-A (23)

11th Shuttle mission

5th Flight OV-099

Extended mission

Diverted landing

Crew:

Robert L. Crippen (3), Commander

Francis R. Scobee (1), Pilot

George D. Nelson (1), Mission Specialist

James D. A. van Hoften (1), Mission Specialist

Terry J. Hart (1), Mission Specialist

Milestones:

OPF - Feb. 11, 1984

VAB - March 14, 1984

PAD - March 19, 1984

Payload:

LDEF-1,SSIP(x1),RME,IMAX-camera(1)

Mission Objectives:

Click here for Additional Info on 41-C

Launch:

April 6, 1984, 8:58:00 a.m. EST. Launch proceeded as scheduled with no delays. Launch Weight: 254,254 lbs.

Orbit:

Altitude: 313nm

Inclination: 28.5 degrees

Orbits: 108

Duration: Six days, 23 hours, 40 minutes, seven seconds.

Distance: 2,870,000 miles

Hardware:

SRB: BI-012

SRM: 011MW(HPM)

ET : 12/LWT-5

MLP : 1

SSME-1: SN-2109

SSME-2: SN-2020

SSME-3: SN-2012

Landing:

April 13, 1984, 5:38:07 a.m. PST, Runway 17, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Rollout distance: 8,716 feet. Rollout time: 48 seconds. Landed revolution 108. Mission extended one day when astronauts unable to grapple Solar Maximum Mission Spacecraft. Planned landing at KSC scrubbed. Mission extended one revolution to facilitate landing at Edwards. Orbiter returned to KSC April 18, 1984. Landing Weight: 196,975 lbs.

Mission Highlights:

First direct ascent trajectory for Space Shuttle. Using manned maneuvering unit, astronauts replaced altitude control system and coronagraph/polarimeter electronics box in the Solar Max satellite while it remained in orbit. Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) deployed, carrying 57 experiments. Left on orbit with intention of retrieving during later mission. Other payloads: IMAX camera; Radiation Monitoring Equipment (RME); Cinema 360; Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSlP) experiment.

KSC Home

Mission Index

Last Mission 41-B

Next Mission 41-D