STS-41

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Mission emblem
Mission emblem STS-41
Mission dates
Mission: STS-41
COSPAR-ID : 1990-090A
Crew: 5
Begin: October 6, 1990, 11:47:15  UTC
Starting place: Kennedy Space Center , LC-39B
Landing: October 10, 1990, 13:57:19 UTC
Landing place: Edwards Air Force Base , Runway 22
Flight duration: 4d 2h 10m 4s
Earth orbits: 66
Rotation time : 90.2 min
Orbit inclination : 28.4 °
Apogee : 303 km
Perigee : 280 km
Covered track: 2.7 million km
Payload: Ulysses
Team photo
v. l. No. Bruce Melnick, Robert Cabana, Thomas Akers, Richard Richards, William Shepherd
v. l. No. Bruce Melnick, Robert Cabana, Thomas Akers, Richard Richards, William Shepherd
◄ Before / After ►
STS-31 STS-38

STS-41 ( english S pace T ransportation S ystem) is a mission designation for the US Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) of NASA . The launch took place on October 6, 1990. It was the 36th space shuttle mission and the 11th flight of the space shuttle Discovery. The main task of this mission was to deploy the ESA space probe Ulysses .

The mission was to be carried out by the Challenger under the designation STS-61-F as early as May 1986 , but was suspended due to the disaster of this orbiter.

team

The crew planned for the STS-61-F, consisting of Frederick Hauck , Roy Bridges , John Lounge and David Hilmers , was completely replaced.

Mission overview

The Shuttles Discovery and Columbia during the preparations for launch
The probe after exposure

The 36th space shuttle mission began on October 6, 1990 with a smooth launch of the space shuttle Discovery. At 19.9 tonnes, the space shuttle's heaviest payload to date, the Ulysses solar probe , was lifted into orbit. Before take-off, there was a very rare opportunity to photograph two space shuttles at once, as the Columbia was being prepared for the STS-35 mission on the neighboring launch pad .

The Ulysses probe could be deployed without any problems six hours after take-off and was later brought by the engines of its upper stage onto an orbit to Jupiter and later to the sun, which it explored until July 1, 2008. After that, the crew carried out various scientific experiments. Among other things, experiments were carried out with flowering plants and flames in weightlessness. In addition, a video was created during the flight for training purposes, with which the fascination for space travel should be aroused in schoolchildren.

The landing took place on October 10th at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Six days later, the orbiter was returned to KSC.

See also

Web links

Commons : STS-41  - album with pictures, videos and audio files