STS-47

STS-47
NASA · Public domain · source
Name	STS-47
Mission type	Spacelab research
Operator	NASA
COSPAR ID	1992-061A
SATCAT	22120
Mission duration	7 days, 22 hours, 30 minutes, 23 seconds
Distance travelled	5,265,523 kilometers (3,271,844 mi)
Orbits completed	126
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Endeavour
Launch site	Kennedy Space Center, LC-39B
Launch date	September 12, 1992, 14:23:00 UTC
Landing date	September 20, 1992, 12:53:24 UTC
Landing site	Kennedy Space Center, Shuttle Landing Facility
Crew photo caption	Back row (L-R): Mae Jemison, Jan Davis, Mark Lee, Jay Apt, Front row (L-R): Curtis Brown, Robert L. Gibson, Mamoru Mohri

STS-47 was the second flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the 50th mission of the Space Shuttle program. This Spacelab mission, designated Spacelab-J, was a cooperative venture between NASA and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The flight was notable for conducting a wide array of scientific experiments and for carrying the first African-American woman, Mae Jemison, into space.

Mission overview

The primary objective of the mission was to conduct multidisciplinary research in the Spacelab module housed in the Space Shuttle Endeavour's payload bay. The mission launched from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center on September 12, 1992, and landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility on September 20, 1992. As a joint project with Japan, the mission emphasized international cooperation in microgravity research, with a focus on materials science and life sciences experiments that required the unique environment of low Earth orbit.

Crew

The seven-person crew consisted of both NASA astronauts and a NASDA payload specialist. The commander was veteran astronaut Robert L. Gibson, with Curtis Brown serving as pilot. The mission specialists were Mark Lee, Jay Apt, and Jan Davis. The payload specialists were Mae Jemison, representing the United States, and Mamoru Mohri, the first Japanese astronaut to fly aboard the Space Shuttle. Notably, Jan Davis and Mark Lee were the first married couple to fly together on a NASA mission, though they kept their relationship private prior to the flight.

Mission highlights

The mission proceeded smoothly, with the crew operating in two shifts around the clock to maximize research time in the Spacelab module. Key operational highlights included the successful deployment and retrieval of a small satellite, the Commercial Materials Dispersion Apparatus (CMDA), which tested fluid dynamics in microgravity. The crew also conducted several educational outreach activities, including live broadcasts to schools in both the United States and Japan. The mission duration of nearly eight days allowed for an extensive and productive research program, contributing valuable data to the international scientific community.

Scientific payload

The Spacelab-J payload comprised 44 experiments, with 35 funded by NASDA and the remainder by NASA. The research covered diverse fields such as fluid physics, materials processing, biology, and human physiology. Significant experiments included studies on protein crystal growth, the behavior of liquid drops and bubbles in zero-g, and the effects of spaceflight on the vestibular system and bone metabolism. The Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) monitored the microgravity environment, while the Animal Enclosure Module housed frogs and Medaka fish for biological studies.

Mission insignia and wake-up calls

The mission patch, designed by the crew, featured the Space Shuttle Endeavour ascending with a representation of the Spacelab module and the flags of the United States and Japan, symbolizing the international partnership. The Japanese characters for the word "beginning" were included, reflecting the mission's designation as the second flight of the new orbiter. Following NASA tradition, the crew was awakened each day by musical selections chosen by their families and ground teams. These wake-up calls included pieces like "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival and "Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto, honoring the cultural exchange central to the mission.