STS-41-G

STS-41-G
NASA · Public domain · source
Mission name	STS-41-G
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Challenger
Launch pad	Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A
Launch date	October 5, 1984
Landing date	October 13, 1984
Landing site	Kennedy Space Center

STS-41-G was the 13th flight of the NASA Space Shuttle program and the sixth flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger. The mission launched on October 5, 1984, from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A and landed on October 13, 1984, at Kennedy Space Center. The crew of STS-41-G included Robert Crippen, Jon McBride, Kathryn Sullivan, Sally Ride, David Leestma, Paul Scully-Power, and Marc Garneau of the Canadian Space Agency. The mission was a significant milestone in the Space Shuttle program, with the first deployment of the Shuttle Imaging Radar and the first spacewalk by a Canadian astronaut.

Mission Overview

The STS-41-G mission was a complex and ambitious flight that included the deployment of the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite and the Shuttle Imaging Radar. The crew also conducted a series of experiments, including the Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications-3 (OSTA-3) and the Canadian Space Agency's CANEX (Canadian Experiments) program. The mission was supported by the NASA Johnson Space Center, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Canadian Space Agency. The crew worked closely with NASA Mission Control Center and the European Space Agency to ensure the success of the mission.

Crew

The crew of STS-41-G included Robert Crippen as the mission commander, Jon McBride as the pilot, and Kathryn Sullivan, Sally Ride, David Leestma, Paul Scully-Power, and Marc Garneau as mission specialists. Kathryn Sullivan and Sally Ride were both part of the NASA Astronaut Group 8, while David Leestma was part of the NASA Astronaut Group 9. Paul Scully-Power was a NASA payload specialist, and Marc Garneau was a Canadian Space Agency astronaut. The crew trained extensively at the NASA Johnson Space Center and the Canadian Space Agency's headquarters in Ottawa.

Mission Objectives

The primary objectives of the STS-41-G mission were to deploy the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite and the Shuttle Imaging Radar, and to conduct a series of experiments, including the Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications-3 (OSTA-3) and the Canadian Space Agency's CANEX (Canadian Experiments) program. The crew also aimed to test the Space Shuttle's capabilities and to demonstrate the feasibility of spacewalks by Canadian astronauts. The mission was supported by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the European Space Agency. The crew worked closely with NASA Mission Control Center and the Canadian Space Agency to ensure the success of the mission.

Mission Timeline

The STS-41-G mission launched on October 5, 1984, at 7:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A. The crew spent the first few days in orbit deploying the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite and the Shuttle Imaging Radar. On October 11, 1984, Kathryn Sullivan and David Leestma conducted a 3-hour and 29-minute spacewalk to test the Space Shuttle's remote manipulator system. The crew also conducted a series of experiments, including the Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications-3 (OSTA-3) and the Canadian Space Agency's CANEX (Canadian Experiments) program. The mission landed on October 13, 1984, at 12:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time at Kennedy Space Center.

Spacecraft and Payload

The STS-41-G mission used the Space Shuttle Challenger, which was equipped with the Shuttle Imaging Radar and the Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications-3 (OSTA-3) payload. The crew also deployed the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite, which was designed to measure the Earth's radiation budget. The Shuttle Imaging Radar was a side-looking radar system that used microwave radiation to image the Earth's surface. The Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications-3 (OSTA-3) payload included a series of experiments, including the Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellites (MAPS) instrument and the Landing and Atmospheric Dispersion (LAD) experiment. The mission was supported by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and the European Space Agency. Category:Space Shuttle missions