STS-51-J

STS-51-J
	DSCS-III satellites in Atlantis' payload bay
Names	Space Transportation System-21
Mission type	Satellite deployment
Operator	NASA / U.S. DoD
COSPAR ID	1985-092A
SATCAT no.	16115
Mission duration	4 days, 1 hour, 44 minutes and 38 seconds
Distance travelled	2,707,948 km (1,682,641 mi)
Orbits completed	64
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Atlantis
Launch mass	N/A
Landing mass	86,400 kg (190,500 lb)
Payload mass	19,968 kg (44,022 lb)
Crew
Crew size	5
Members	Karol J. Bobko ; Ronald J. Grabe ; David C. Hilmers ; Robert L. Stewart ; William A. Pailes ;
Start of mission
Launch date	October 3, 1985, 15:15:30 UTC (11:15:30 am EDT)
Launch site	Kennedy, LC-39A
Contractor	Rockwell International
End of mission
Landing date	October 7, 1985, 17:00:08 UTC (10:00:08 am PDT)
Landing site	Edwards, Runway 23
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude	475 km (295 mi)
Apogee altitude	484 km (301 mi)
Inclination	28.50°
Period	94.20 minutes
	; STS-51-J mission patch; ; From left: Stewart, Hilmers, Bobko, Pailes and Grabe Space Shuttle program ← STS-51-I (20) STS-61-A (22) →

Last updated February 26, 2025

STS-51-J was NASA's 21st Space Shuttle mission and the maiden flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis. It launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on October 3, 1985, carrying a payload for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on October 7, 1985.

Crew


Position	Astronaut
Commander	Karol J. Bobko Third and last spaceflight
Pilot	Ronald J. Grabe First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1	David C. Hilmers First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2 Flight Engineer	Robert L. Stewart Second and last spaceflight
Payload Specialist 1	William A. Pailes, MSE Only spaceflight
All five astronauts on the secret mission were active-duty military officers.^[1] Before William A. Pailes was assigned to the STS-51-J flight, Mike Mullane was rumored to have been assigned as mission specialist 3 on his second trip to space.

Backup crew


Position	Astronaut
Payload Specialist 1	Michael W. Booen, MSE

Crew seat assignments

Seat^[2]	Launch	Landing	Seats 1–4 are on the flight deck. Seats 5–7 are on the mid-deck.
1	Bobko
2	Grabe
3	Hilmers
4	Stewart
5	Pailes
6	Unused
7	Unused

Mission summary

STS-51-J launched on October 3, 1985, at 15:15:30 UTC (11:15:30 a.m. EDT), from Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. The launch was delayed by 22 minutes and 30 seconds due to a problem with a main engine liquid hydrogen prevalve close remote power controller; the controller was showing a faulty "on" indication.

The mission was the second shuttle flight totally dedicated to deploying a United States Department of Defense payload,^[1] after STS-51-C. Its cargo was classified, but it was reported that two (USA-11 and USA-12) DSCS-III (Defense Satellite Communications System) satellites were launched into geostationary orbits by an Inertial Upper Stage (IUS). The DSCS satellites used X-band frequencies (8/7 GHz). Each DSCS-III satellite had a design life of ten years, although several of the DSCS satellites have far exceeded their design life expectancy.^[3]

The mission was deemed successful. After a flight lasting 4 days, 1 hour, 44 minutes and 38 seconds, Atlantis landed on Runway 23 at Edwards Air Force Base at 17:00:08 UTC (13:00:08 EDT) on October 7, 1985. During STS-51-J, mission commander Bobko became the first astronaut to fly on three different shuttle orbiters, and the only astronaut to fly on the maiden voyages of two different orbiters.

Attempt	Planned	Result	Turnaround	Reason	Decision point	Weather go (%)	Notes
1	3 Oct 1985, 11:15:30 am	Success	—	Technical			Delayed due to faulty indication from main engine liquid hydrogen prevalve close remote power controller.

Mission insignia

The 51-J mission insignia, designed by Atlantis's first crew, pays tribute to the Statue of Liberty and the ideas it symbolizes, but also as not to emphasize the "classified" nature of the mission like the first one did. The historical gateway figure bears additional significance for astronauts Karol J. Bobko, mission commander; and Ronald J. Grabe, pilot, both New York City natives.

Gallery

Atlantis lifting off the pad.

References

1 2 Blakeslee, Sandra (October 8, 1985). "ASTRONAUTS RETURN FROM SECRET [sic]". The New York Times. p. C3. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved June 18, 2021.
↑ "STS-51J". Spacefacts. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
↑ Day, Dwayne (January 4, 2010). "A lighter shade of black: the (non) mystery of STS-51J". The Space Review. Retrieved February 5, 2022.

External links

NASA mission summary

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[blakeslee-1] 1 2 Blakeslee, Sandra (October 8, 1985). "ASTRONAUTS RETURN FROM SECRET [sic]". The New York Times. p. C3. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved June 18, 2021.

[2] "STS-51J". Spacefacts. Retrieved July 29, 2024.

[3] Day, Dwayne (January 4, 2010). "A lighter shade of black: the (non) mystery of STS-51J". The Space Review. Retrieved February 5, 2022.

[1]

[2]

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v t e Space Shuttle Atlantis (OV-104)
Completed flights	STS-51-J STS-61-B STS-27 STS-30 STS-34 STS-36 STS-38 STS-37 STS-43 STS-44 STS-45 STS-46 STS-66 STS-71 STS-74 STS-76 STS-79 STS-81 STS-84 STS-86 STS-101 STS-106 STS-98 STS-104 STS-110 STS-112 STS-115 STS-117 STS-122 STS-125 STS-129 STS-132 STS-135
Status	Retired
On display	Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Merritt Island, Florida

v t e ← 1984 Orbital launches in 1985 1986 →
January	STS-51-C (USA-8)
February	USA-9 Arabsat-1A Brasilsat A1
March	Geosat Intelsat VA F-10
April	STS-51-D (Anik C1, Leasat 3) STS-51-B (Nusat)
May	GStar-1 Telecom 1B
June	Soyuz T-13 STS-51-G (Morelos 1, Arabsat-1B, Telstar 3D, SPARTAN-101) Progress 24 Intelsat VA F-11
July	Giotto Kosmos 1669 STS-51-F (PDP)
August	STS-51-I (Aussat A1, ASC-1, Leasat 4)
September	Spacenet 3 Soyuz T-14 Kosmos 1686 Intelsat VA F-12
October	STS-51-J (USA-11, USA-12) USA-10 STS-61-A (GLOMR)
November	STS-61-B (Morelos 2, Aussat A2, Satcom K2, OEX, EASE/ACCESS)
Unknown month	Sakigake Kosmos 1616 Kosmos 1617 Kosmos 1618 Kosmos 1619 Kosmos 1620 Kosmos 1621 Kosmos 1622 Molniya-3 No.36 Kosmos 1623 Kosmos 1624 Gorizont No.21L Kosmos 1625 Kosmos 1626 Kosmos 1627 Kosmos 1628 Meteor-2 No.13 Kosmos 1629 Kosmos 1630 Kosmos 1631 Kosmos 1632 Kosmos 1633 Kosmos 1634 Kosmos 1635 Kosmos 1636 Kosmos 1637 Kosmos 1638 Kosmos 1639 Kosmos 1640 Kosmos 1641 Kosmos 1642 Ekran No.28L Kosmos 1643 Kosmos 1644 Unnamed Kosmos 1645 Kosmos 1646 Kosmos 1647 Kosmos 1648 Prognoz 10 Kosmos 1649 Kosmos 1650 Kosmos 1651 Kosmos 1652 Kosmos 1653 Kosmos 1654 Molniya-3 No.39 Kosmos 1655 Kosmos 1656 Kosmos 1657 Kosmos 1658 Kosmos 1659 Kosmos 1660 Kosmos 1661 Kosmos 1662 Kosmos 1663 Unnamed Kosmos 1664 Kosmos 1665 Kosmos 1666 Kosmos 1667 Kosmos 1668 Molniya-3 No.37 Kosmos 1670 Kosmos 1671 Transit-O 24 Transit-O 30 Kosmos 1672 Kosmos 1672 Kosmos 1673 Kosmos 1674 Gran' No.26L Kosmos 1675 Kosmos 1676 Suisei Molniya-1 No.61 Kosmos 1677 Unnamed Kosmos 1678 Kosmos 1679 Kosmos 1680 Kosmos 1681 ECS-3 Kosmos 1682 Kosmos 1683 Kosmos 1684 Kosmos 1685 Kosmos 1687 Kosmos 1688 Kosmos 1689 Molniya-3 No.38 Kosmos 1690 Kosmos 1695 Kosmos 1692 Kosmos 1693 Kosmos 1694 Kosmos 1691 Kosmos 1696 Fanhui Shi Weixing 8 Kosmos 1697 Kosmos 1698 Molniya-1 No.73 Unnamed Meteor-3 No.2 Kosmos 1699 Kosmos 1700 Molniya-1 No.56 Kosmos 1701 Kosmos 1702 Gran' No.28L Kosmos 1703 Kosmos 1704 Kosmos 1705 Kosmos 1706 Kosmos 1707 USA-13 USA-14 Kosmos 1708 Kosmos 1709 Molniya-3 No.40 Kosmos 1710 Kosmos 1711 Kosmos 1712 Meteor-2 No.14 Kosmos 1713 Kosmos 1714
Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( \| ). Crewed flights are indicated in underline. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in (brackets).