41-D (12)

DISCOVERY (1)

Pad 39-A (24)

12th Shuttle Mission

1st Flight OV-103

RSLS Abort after SSME Ignition (1)

2nd Rollback

Crew:

Henry W. Hartsfield (2), Jr., Commander

Michael L. Coats (1), Pilot

Judith A. Resnik (1), Mission Specialist 1

Steven A. Hawley (1), Mission Specialist 2

Richard M. Mullane (1), Mission Specialist 3

Charles D. Walker (1), Payload Specialist 1

Milestones:

OPF-Nov. 10,1983

VAB-Dec. 9,1983

(storage)

Flow A:

OPF - Jan. 10, 1984

VAB - May 12, 1984

PAD - May 19, 1984

Flow B (rollback):

VAB - July 14, 1984

OPF - July 17, 1984

VAB - Aug. 1, 1984

PAD - Aug. 9, 1984

Payload:

SBS-D,TELSTAR-3C,LEASAT-1,OAST-1,CFES(5),RME(3),SSIP(x1),CLOUDS,

IMAX-CAMERA(2)

Mission Objectives:

Click here for Additional Info on 41-D

Launch:

August 30, 1984, 8:41:50 a.m, EDT. Launch attempt June 25 scrubbed during T-9 minute hold due to failure of orbiter's back-up general purpose computer (GPC). Launch attempt June 26 aborted at T-6 seconds when GPC detected anomaly in orbiter's number three main engine. Discovery returned to OPF and number three main engine replaced. (To preserve launch schedule of future missions, 41-D cargo remanifested to include payload elements from both 41-D and 41-F flights; 41-F mission cancelled.) Shuttle restacked and returned to pad. Third launch attempt Aug. 29 delayed when discrepancy noted in flight software of Discovery's master events controller relating to solid rocket booster fire commands. A software patch was verified and implemented to assure all three booster fire commands were issued in the proper time interval. Launch Aug. 30 delayed six minutes, 50 seconds when private aircraft intruded into warning area off coast of Cape Canaveral. Launch Weight: 263,477 lbs.

Orbit:

Altitude: 184nm

Inclination: 28.5 degrees

Orbits: 97

Duration: Six days, zero hours, 56 minutes, four seconds.

Distance: 2,490,000 miles

Hardware:

SRB: BI-011

SRM: 013LW(HPM)

ET: 13/LWT-6

MLP : 2

SSME-1: SN-2109

SSME-2: SN-2018

SSME-3: SN-2021

Landing:

September 5, 1984, 6:37:54 a.m. PDT, Runway 17, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Rollout distance: 10,275 feet. Rollout time:60 seconds. Landing planned for Edwards desert runway because it was Discovery's first flight. Orbiter returned to KSC Sept. 10, 1984. Landing Weight: 201,674 lbs.

Mission Highlights:

Three satellites deployed: Satellite Business System SBS-D, SYNCOM IV-2 (also known as LEASAT2) and TELSTAR. The 102- foot-tall, 13-loot-wide Office of Application and Space Technology (OAST-1) solar wing extended from payload bay. Wing carried different types of solar cells and extended to full height several times. It demonstrated large lightweight solar arrays for future in building large facilities in space such as Space Station. Other payloads: Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System (CFES) Ill; Radiation Monitoring Equipment (RME); Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP) experiment; lMAX camera, being flown second time; and an Air Force experiment, Cloud Logic to Optimize Use of Defense Systems (CLOUDS).

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