STS-69

STS-69
NASA · Public domain · source
Mission name	STS-69
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Endeavour
Launch pad	Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39
Launch date	September 7, 1995
Landing date	September 18, 1995
Landing site	Kennedy Space Center

STS-69 was the second Space Shuttle mission to the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched by NASA from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 on September 7, 1995. The mission was crewed by David Walker, Kenneth Cockrell, James Voss, James Newman, and Michael Gernhardt, and was the first to feature the SPARTAN spacecraft and the Wake Shield Facility. The crew conducted a variety of experiments, including the Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Cesium experiment, in collaboration with University of Michigan, University of Colorado Boulder, and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Mission Overview

The mission was designed to test the performance of the Space Shuttle Endeavour and its crew, as well as to conduct a range of scientific experiments, including the Orbital Debris Radar Calibration System and the Commercial Protein Crystal Growth experiment, in partnership with National Institute of Standards and Technology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and University of California, Los Angeles. The crew also deployed the SPARTAN spacecraft, which was designed to study the solar wind and its interaction with the Earth's magnetic field, in collaboration with Goddard Space Flight Center, University of California, Berkeley, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The mission was supported by Johnson Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Crew

The crew of STS-69 consisted of five experienced NASA astronauts, including David Walker, who served as the mission commander, and Kenneth Cockrell, who was the pilot, both of whom were veterans of STS-56 and STS-61. The mission specialists were James Voss, James Newman, and Michael Gernhardt, who were all experienced astronauts with multiple Space Shuttle missions under their belts, including STS-44, STS-51, and STS-59. The crew was supported by a team of engineers and scientists from NASA, including Christopher C. Kraft Jr., George Mueller, and Wernher von Braun, as well as experts from European Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, and Russian Federal Space Agency.

Mission Objectives

The primary objectives of the STS-69 mission were to deploy the SPARTAN spacecraft and the Wake Shield Facility, and to conduct a range of scientific experiments, including the Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Cesium experiment and the Commercial Protein Crystal Growth experiment, in collaboration with University of Texas at Austin, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and University of Wisconsin-Madison. The crew also conducted a series of spacewalks, known as EVAs, to test the performance of the Space Shuttle Endeavour's Remote Manipulator System and to evaluate the effectiveness of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit, with support from NASA Ames Research Center, NASA Langley Research Center, and NASA Glenn Research Center.

Spacecraft and Payload

The Space Shuttle Endeavour was launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 on September 7, 1995, carrying a payload of over 11,000 kg of scientific equipment and experiments, including the SPARTAN spacecraft and the Wake Shield Facility, which were designed and built by NASA, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin. The spacecraft was equipped with a range of instruments, including the Orbital Debris Radar Calibration System and the Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Cesium experiment, which were designed to study the Earth's atmosphere and the solar wind, in partnership with University of California, San Diego, University of Washington, and University of Arizona.

Mission Timeline

The STS-69 mission lasted for 10 days, 20 hours, and 29 minutes, from launch to landing, during which time the crew conducted a range of scientific experiments and spacewalks, including the deployment of the SPARTAN spacecraft and the Wake Shield Facility, and the testing of the Space Shuttle Endeavour's Remote Manipulator System and Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit, with support from NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The crew also conducted a series of orbital maneuvers to test the performance of the Space Shuttle Endeavour's Orbital Maneuvering System and to evaluate the effectiveness of the Reaction Control System, in collaboration with University of Southern California, University of Michigan, and University of Texas at Dallas.

Landing and Post-Flight

The Space Shuttle Endeavour landed safely at Kennedy Space Center on September 18, 1995, marking the end of the STS-69 mission, which was supported by NASA Kennedy Space Center, NASA Johnson Space Center, and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The crew was greeted by NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin and other senior NASA officials, who congratulated them on the success of the mission, which was also supported by European Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, and Russian Federal Space Agency. The mission was deemed a success, with all primary objectives achieved, and paved the way for future Space Shuttle missions, including STS-71, STS-73, and STS-74, in collaboration with University of California, Berkeley, University of Colorado Boulder, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Category:Space Shuttle missions