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STS-41-C
Part of STS

STS-41-C

STS-41-C
Rollover & rollout of space shuttle mission 41-C
Credit: NASA

First repair on orbit of a satellite, Solar Maximum Mission, snared by astronaut using MMU. Deployed LDEF. Experienced erosion of the primary O-ring in the right-hand nozzle joint.

AKA: Challenger. Launched: 1984-04-06. Returned: 1984-04-13. Number crew: 5 . Duration: 6.99 days.

Payloads:Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) repair, manned maneuvering unit (MMU) satellite support, deployment of Long-Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) in earth orbit free drift. LDEF contained 57 experiments and weighed about 10,000 kg. Cinema 360 and IMAX 70-mm cameras.

Orbits of Earth: 107. Distance traveled: 4,618,817 km. Orbiter Liftoff Mass: 115,361 kg. Orbiter Mass at Landing: 89,344 kg. Payload to Orbit: 17,357 kg. Payload Returned: 7,652 kg. Landed at: Runway 17 dry lake bed at Edwards Air Force Base, . Landing Speed: 394 kph. Touchdown miss distance: 582 m. Landing Rollout: 2,656 m. EVA: James van Hoften and George Nelson. EVA No. 1 duration 2 hours, 59 minutes, EVA No. 2 duration 7 hours, 7 minutes. Manned maneuvering unit (MMU) operating time, George Nelson 42 minutes, James van Hoften 28 minutes.

NASA Official Mission Narrative

Mission Name: 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:

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.


More at: STS-41-C.

Family: Manned spaceflight. People: Crippen, Hart, Nelson, Scobee, van Hoften. Country: USA. Spacecraft: Challenger. Projects: STS. Launch Sites: Cape Canaveral. Agency: NASA, NASA Houston.
Photo Gallery

STS-41-CSTS-41-C
Credit: www.spacefacts.de


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Launch of the Shuttle Challenger during STS 41-C mission
Credit: NASA


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Florida Peninsula, LDEF Deploy-RMS
Credit: NASA


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View of the Long Duration Exposure Facility in orbit above the earth
Credit: NASA


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41-C mission specialist repairs captured Solar Maximum Mission Satellite
Credit: NASA


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View of the damaged Solar Maximum Mission Satellite from the 41-C Challenger
Credit: NASA


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View of Astronaut Nelson using MMU to examine Solar Maximum Mission Satellite
Credit: NASA


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View of the capture of the Solar Maximum Mission Satellite by the RMS
Credit: NASA


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View of the Solar Maximum Mission Satellite prior to release by RMS
Credit: NASA


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41-C mission specialists repair captured Solar Maximum Mission Satellite
Credit: NASA


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Deployment of the repaired Solar Maximum Mission Satellite
Credit: NASA


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Shuttle Challenger atop NASA 905 approaches KSC runway
Credit: NASA



1984 April 6 - . 13:58 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. Launch Platform: MLP1. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.
1984 April 7 - .
1984 April 8 - .
1984 April 8 - . 14:18 GMT - .
1984 April 10 - .
1984 April 11 - . 08:58 GMT - .
1984 April 13 - .
1984 April 13 - .

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