This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| STS-85 | |
|---|---|
| Name | STS-85 |
| Mission type | Space Shuttle mission |
| Operator | NASA |
| Mission duration | 12 days, 7 hours, 47 minutes, 56 seconds |
| Launch date | 1997-08-07 |
| Launch vehicle | Space Shuttle Discovery |
| Launch site | Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 |
| Landing date | 1997-08-19 |
| Landing site | Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility |
STS-85 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission flown by Space Shuttle Discovery in August 1997. The flight carried a mixed crew of astronauts and carried a suite of scientific payloads including a reflight of a major astronomy payload and technology demonstrators. The mission contributed to atmospheric research, materials science, and preparations for later International Space Station assembly operations.
The flight launched from Kennedy Space Center on 7 August 1997 and landed at Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility on 19 August 1997. Objectives emphasized Earth and space science investigations, technology validation related to Shuttle–Mir Program experience, and retrieval of a free-flying payload. The mission supported investigations relevant to Goddard Space Flight Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, and multiple university partners, consolidating work previously undertaken during STS-83 and STS-94 science flights.
The seven-member crew included veterans of Space Shuttle Columbia, Space Shuttle Atlantis, and international cooperation programs. The commander had operational experience linked to Naval Air Systems Command and Naval Test Pilot School backgrounds, while the pilot and mission specialists brought expertise from United States Navy, United States Air Force, and academic research institutions. Payload specialists represented specific instrument teams connected to Jet Propulsion Laboratory and other NASA centers. Crew roles mirrored prior assignments seen on missions such as STS-41 and STS-61.
Primary payloads included the retrieval and reflight of an astronomy instrument related to ultraviolet and extreme-ultraviolet studies with heritage in experiments like those deployed on Hubble Space Telescope servicing flights. The mission carried the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) reflight-style payload, technology demonstrations from Marshall Space Flight Center, and experiments from university consortia associated with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Colorado, and Stanford University. Materials science investigations drew upon furnaces and crystal growth hardware previously used on STS-60 and STS-69. Environmental studies focused on stratospheric ozone chemistry linked to research centers such as NOAA and National Center for Atmospheric Research.
After ascent aboard Space Shuttle Discovery and orbital insertion, the crew deployed and later retrieved a free-flying science platform reminiscent of operations on SPARTAN missions. Mid-mission activities included instrument pointing, telescope observations toward targets familiar from International Ultraviolet Explorer and Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer programs, and coordinated Earth observations involving Lidar and spectrometer teams. The crew performed weekly maintenance and used robotic arm operations similar to those developed for Canadarm tasks during STS-61 servicing. Reentry preparations followed deorbit burn, and rollout occurred at Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility.
The orbiter used systems maintained by facilities at Kennedy Space Center, Michoud Assembly Facility, and technical support from Rockwell International contractors. Flight hardware included an operational Remote Manipulator System used for free-flyer capture, avionics influenced by upgrades tested after STS-26, and thermal protection tiles maintained under procedures shaped by investigations from Johnson Space Center. Ground support involved range operations coordinated with 45th Space Wing and recovery contingencies informed by lessons from STS-51-L and subsequent return-to-flight programs.
Primary objectives—retrieval of the free-flying payload, successful operation of ultraviolet and infrared instruments, and validation of technology demonstrations—were accomplished. Scientific results contributed to atmospheric chemistry datasets used by World Meteorological Organization assessments and informed instrument designs for future missions from European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Operational lessons enhanced procedures for robotic capture and payload handling relevant to International Space Station assembly, and materials science outcomes advanced capabilities for microgravity processing used by industrial partners like Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
As with previous Space Shuttle missions, the crew received traditional music wake-up calls selected by mission planners and family, a practice rooted in cultural links to Mercury Seven and later flights involving crew morale. The mission patch incorporated iconography referencing the free-flyer, ultraviolet astronomy heritage, and orbiter flight history, echoing symbolism used on emblems such as those for STS-1 and STS-107.
Category:1997 spaceflights Category:Space Shuttle missions