STS-61-C

STS-61-C
NASA · Public domain · source
Mission name	STS-61-C
Spacecraft	Columbia
Launch	January 12, 1986
Launch site	Kennedy Space Center
Landing	January 18, 1986
Landing site	Edwards Air Force Base

STS-61-C was the seventh NASA Space Shuttle mission, and the sixth mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia. The mission was crewed by Robert Gibson, Charles Bolden, Franklin Chang-Diaz, Cady Coleman, Gregory Jarvis, and Bill Nelson, who was a U.S. Congressman from Florida. The mission was launched from Kennedy Space Center on January 12, 1986, and landed at Edwards Air Force Base on January 18, 1986, after nearly seven days in space. The crew conducted a variety of experiments and deployed the Satcom K1 communications satellite for RCA.

Mission Overview

The STS-61-C mission was a Space Shuttle mission that was crewed by a team of six astronauts, including Robert Gibson, the mission commander, and Charles Bolden, the pilot. The mission was launched from Kennedy Space Center using the Space Shuttle Columbia, which was the oldest and most experienced of the Space Shuttle fleet at the time. The mission was the first to be crewed by a U.S. Congressman, Bill Nelson, who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Florida. The crew also included Franklin Chang-Diaz, a NASA astronaut who was born in Costa Rica and became a United States citizen in 1977. The mission was supported by a team of scientists and engineers from NASA, including Christopher C. Kraft Jr., the director of Johnson Space Center, and Hans Mark, the deputy administrator of NASA.

Crew

The crew of the STS-61-C mission included Robert Gibson, the mission commander, who was a veteran of two previous Space Shuttle missions, STS-41-B and STS-61-A. The pilot of the mission was Charles Bolden, who was a U.S. Marine Corps officer and a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. The crew also included Franklin Chang-Diaz, a NASA astronaut who was born in Costa Rica and became a United States citizen in 1977. Cady Coleman was a mission specialist who was a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a veteran of the United States Air Force. Gregory Jarvis was a payload specialist who was an engineer at Hughes Aircraft, and Bill Nelson was a payload specialist who was a U.S. Congressman from Florida. The crew was supported by a team of astronauts, including Vance Brand, who was the commander of the STS-35 mission, and Robert Crippen, who was the pilot of the STS-1 mission.

Mission Objectives

The primary objective of the STS-61-C mission was to deploy the Satcom K1 communications satellite for RIA, which was a communications satellite that was designed to provide television and radio broadcasting services to the eastern United States. The crew also conducted a variety of experiments, including the Comet Halley Active Monitoring Program, which was designed to study the Comet Halley as it passed close to the Earth. The crew also conducted experiments on the Materials Science Laboratory, which was a laboratory that was designed to study the properties of materials in microgravity. The mission also included the Fluids Experiment Apparatus, which was an experiment that was designed to study the behavior of fluids in microgravity. The crew also conducted experiments on the Getaway Special canister, which was a canister that was designed to carry small experiments into space.

Mission Timeline

The STS-61-C mission was launched from Kennedy Space Center on January 12, 1986, at 6:55 AM EST. The crew spent the first day of the mission checking out the systems of the Space Shuttle Columbia and preparing for the deployment of the Satcom K1 communications satellite. On the second day of the mission, the crew deployed the Satcom K1 communications satellite using the Inertial Upper Stage rocket. The crew then spent the next several days conducting experiments and operating the Materials Science Laboratory. On the sixth day of the mission, the crew conducted a series of experiments on the Fluids Experiment Apparatus and the Getaway Special canister. The mission ended on January 18, 1986, when the Space Shuttle Columbia landed at Edwards Air Force Base at 5:58 AM PST.

Spacecraft

The STS-61-C mission used the Space Shuttle Columbia, which was the oldest and most experienced of the Space Shuttle fleet at the time. The Space Shuttle Columbia was launched from Kennedy Space Center using the Space Shuttle Main Engines, which were powered by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The Space Shuttle Columbia was equipped with a variety of systems, including the Remote Manipulator System, which was a robotic arm that was used to deploy the Satcom K1 communications satellite. The Space Shuttle Columbia also carried a variety of experiments, including the Materials Science Laboratory and the Fluids Experiment Apparatus. The mission was supported by a team of scientists and engineers from NASA, including Christopher C. Kraft Jr., the director of Johnson Space Center, and Hans Mark, the deputy administrator of NASA.

Mission Accomplishments

The STS-61-C mission was a success, and the crew accomplished all of the mission objectives. The Satcom K1 communications satellite was deployed successfully, and the crew conducted a variety of experiments on the Materials Science Laboratory and the Fluids Experiment Apparatus. The mission also marked the first time that a U.S. Congressman had flown in space, and Bill Nelson became the second U.S. Congressman to fly in space, after Jake Garn, who flew on the STS-51-D mission. The mission was also notable for the fact that it was the last Space Shuttle mission before the Challenger disaster, which occurred on January 28, 1986, just 10 days after the STS-61-C mission ended. The STS-61-C mission was supported by a team of scientists and engineers from NASA, including Vance Brand, who was the commander of the STS-35 mission, and Robert Crippen, who was the pilot of the STS-1 mission. Category:Space Shuttle missions