STS-49

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Mission emblem
Mission emblem STS-49
Mission dates
Mission: STS-49
COSPAR-ID : 1992-026A
Crew: 7th
Begin: May 7, 1992, 23:40:00  UTC
Starting place: Kennedy Space Center , LC-39B
Landing: May 16, 1992, 20:57:38 UTC
Landing place: Edwards Air Force Base , Runway 22
Flight duration: 8d 21h 17min 38s
Earth orbits: 141
Rotation time : 91.9 min
Orbit inclination : 28.3 °
Apogee : 375 km
Perigee : 363 km
Covered track: 5.9 million km
Team photo
v. l. No. Richard Hieb, Kevin Chilton, Daniel Brandenstein, Thomas Akers, Pierre Thuot, Kathryn Thornton, Bruce Melnick
v. l. No. Richard Hieb, Kevin Chilton, Daniel Brandenstein, Thomas Akers, Pierre Thuot, Kathryn Thornton, Bruce Melnick
◄ Before / After ►
STS-45 STS-50

STS-49 ( english S pace T ransportation S ystem ) is a mission designation for the US Space Shuttle Endeavor (OV-105) of NASA . The launch took place on May 7, 1992. It was the 47th space shuttle mission and the maiden flight of the space shuttle Endeavor.

team

Mission overview

A so-called flight readiness firing took place in preparation for the mission . During the test, in which the space shuttle remains on the ground, the main engines are ramped up after a normal countdown to 100 percent power at T = 0. This engine test is carried out each time a US space shuttle takes off for the first time.

May 4, 1992 at 00:34 UTC was originally named as the start date. However, this was postponed by two days, as it enabled better images of the shuttle taking off. The take-off was postponed by 34 minutes due to bad weather at a TAL (Transoceanic Abort Landing) landing site and finally took place on May 7, 1992 at 23:40 UTC.

Intelsat 603 is captured by three astronauts

The main objective of the mission was to capture the Intelsat 603 satellite . This satellite was stranded in an orbit that was too low two years earlier due to a failure to disconnect the second stage rocket. For the first time in history, a rocket engine on a satellite was to be replaced. This task required three attempts, although only one attempt was planned. During the first two space exits (EVA), the two space travelers Pierre Thuot and Richard Hieb were unable to capture the satellite. It was decided that a third astronaut should help. This was the first and so far only three-man extraterrestrial mission. Thomas Akers caught the satellite together with Thout and Hieb and then the engine was assembled together.

The Assembly of Station by EVA Methods experiment (ASEM) was carried out during a fourth exit by the Thornton-Akers duo . It should show that an in-orbit space station can be assembled and maintained. This task was accomplished, but only one of the originally planned two exits was carried out as the work on the Intelsat satellite was too time-consuming. Due to the problems with catching the satellite, it was the first shuttle mission with four EVAs. In addition, at 25 hours and 27 minutes, this mission had the highest total EVA duration of any previous shuttle mission.

The Endeavor landed on May 16, 1992 at 20:57:38 UTC on runway 22 of Edwards Air Force Base . A braking parachute was used for the first time on the American shuttles . On the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft , the space shuttle was brought back to the Kennedy Space Center on May 30th .

The mission had the following highlights and innovations:

  • The second longest EVA at the time (after STS-102 ) with 8 hours and 29 minutes
  • First shuttle mission with three rendezvous to an in-orbit satellite.

See also

Web links

Commons : STS-49  - album with pictures, videos and audio files