STS-29 (28)

DISCOVERY (8)

Pad 39-B (9)

28th Shuttle mission

8th Flight OV-103

Crew:

Michael L. Coats (2), Commander

John E. Blaha (1), Pilot

James P. Bagian (1), Mission Specialist 1

James F. Buchli (3), Mission Specialist 2

Robert C. Springer (1), Mission Specialist 3

Milestones:

OPF - Oct 9, 1988

VAB - Jan. 23, 1989

PAD - Feb. 3, 1989

Payload:

TRDS-D,IMAX-01,SHARE-I

Mission Objectives:

Click here for Press Kit
Click here for Additional Info on STS-29

Launch:

March 13, 1989,9:57:00 a.m. EST. Launch manifested Feb. 18 reassessed for late February/early March launch to replace suspect liquid oxygen turbopumps on Discovery's three main engines and faulty master events controller. Launch March 13 delayed one hour, 50 minutes due to morning ground fog and upper winds. Launch Weight: 256,357 lbs.

Orbit:

Altitude: 184nm

Inclination: 28.5 degrees

Orbits: 80

Duration: 4 days, 23 hours, 38 minutes, 52 seconds.

Distance: 2,000,000 miles (approx)

Hardware:

SRB: BI-031

SRM: 360L003

ET : 36/LWT-29

MLP : 2

SSME-1: SN-2031

SSME-2: SN-2022

SSME-3: SN-2028

Landing:

March 18, 1989, 6:35:51 s.m. PST, Runway 22, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Rollout distance: 9,339 feet. Rollout time: 53 seconds. Orbiter returned to KSC March 24,1989. Landing Weight: 194,789 lbs.

Mission Highlights:

Primary payload, Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-4 (TDRS-4) attached to an Inertial Upper Stage (IUS), became third TDRS deployed. After deployment, IUS propelled satellite to geosynchronous orbit. Secondary payloads: Orbiter Experiments Autonomous Supporting Instrumentation System-1 (OASIS-1); Space Station Heat Pipe Advanced Radiator Experiment (SHARE); Protein Crystal Growth (PCG); Chromosomes and Plant Cell Division (CHROMEX); two Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP) experiments; and Air Force experiment using orbiter as calibration target for ground-based experiment for Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) in Hawaii. Crew also photographed Earth with hand held IMAX camera.

KSC Home

Mission Index

Last Mission STS-27

Next Mission STS-30