STS-55

Last updated

STS-55
STS-55 Spacelab.jpg
Spacelab Module LM1 in Columbia's payload bay, serving as the Spacelab D-2 laboratory.
Names Space Transportation System-55
Spacelab Deutschland 2
Spacelab D-2
Mission type Spacelab research
Operator NASA
COSPAR ID 1993-027A OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
SATCAT no. 22640
Mission duration9 days, 23 hours, 39 minutes, 59 seconds (achieved)
Distance travelled6,701,603 km (4,164,183 mi)
Orbits completed160
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Space Shuttle Columbia
Landing mass103,191 kg (227,497 lb)
Payload mass11,539 kg (25,439 lb)
Crew
Crew size7
Members
Start of mission
Launch date26 April 1993, 14:50:00 UTC
Rocket Space Shuttle Columbia
Launch site Kennedy Space Center, LC-39A
Contractor Rockwell International
End of mission
Landing date6 May 1993, 14:29:59 UTC
Landing site Edwards Air Force Base,
Runway 22
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric orbit
Regime Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude 304 km (189 mi)
Apogee altitude 312 km (194 mi)
Inclination 28.45°
Period 90.70 minutes
Sts-55-patch.png
STS-55 mission patch
Sts-55 crew.jpg
Standing: Bernard A. Harris Jr., Hans Schlegel, Jerry L. Ross, Ulrich Walter
Seated: Terence T. Henricks, Steven R. Nagel, Charles J. Precourt
  STS-56 (54)
STS-57 (56) 
 

STS-55, or Deutschland 2 (D-2), was the 55th overall flight of the NASA Space Shuttle and the 14th flight of Shuttle Columbia . This flight was a multinational Spacelab flight involving 88 experiments from eleven different nations. The experiments ranged from biology sciences to simple Earth observations.

Contents

Crew

Position Astronaut
Commander Flag of the United States.svg Steven R. Nagel
Fourth and last spaceflight
Pilot Flag of the United States.svg Terence T. Henricks
Second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1 Flag of the United States.svg Jerry L. Ross
Fourth spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2 Flag of the United States.svg Charles J. Precourt
First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 3 Flag of the United States.svg Bernard A. Harris Jr.
First spaceflight
Payload Specialist 1 Flag of Germany.svg Ulrich Walter, DLR
Only spaceflight
Payload Specialist 2 Flag of Germany.svg Hans Schlegel, DLR
First spaceflight

Backup crew

Position Astronaut
Payload Specialist 1 Flag of Germany.svg Gerhard Thiele, DLR
Payload Specialist 2 Flag of Germany.svg Renate Brümmer, DLR

Mission highlights

Columbia carried to orbit the second reusable German Spacelab D-2 and demonstrated the shuttle's ability for international cooperation, exploration, and scientific research in space. The Spacelab module and an exterior experiment support structure contained in Columbia's payload bay comprised the Spacelab D-2 payload. The first German Spacelab flight, D-1, flew Shuttle mission STS-61-A in October 1985. The United States and Germany gained valuable experience for future space station operations.

The D-2 mission, as it was commonly called, augmented the German microgravity research program started by the D-1 mission. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) had been tasked by the German Space Agency (DARA - Deutsche Agentur für Raumfahrtangelegenheiten) to conduct the second mission. DLR, NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and agencies in France and Japan contributed to D-2's scientific program. Eleven nations participated in the experiments. Of the 88 experiments conducted on the D-2 mission, four were sponsored by NASA.

The crew worked in two shifts around-the-clock to complete investigations into the areas of fluid physics, materials sciences, life sciences, biological sciences, technology, Earth observations, atmospheric physics, and astronomy. Many of the experiments advanced the research of the D-1 mission by conducting similar tests, using upgraded processing hardware, or implementing methods that took full advantage of the technical advancements since 1985. The D-2 mission also contained several new experiments which were not previously flown on the D-1 mission.

The mission surpassed the 365th day in space for the Space Shuttle fleet and the 100th day of flight time in space for Columbia, the fleet's oldest Space Shuttle orbiter, on its fourteenth flight.

D-2 marked the first telerobotic capture of a free floating object by flight controllers in Germany. The crew conducted the first intravenous saline solution injection in space as part of an experiment to study the human body's response to direct fluid replacement as a countermeasure for amounts lost during space flight. They also successfully completed an in-flight maintenance procedure for collection of orbiter waste water, which allowed the mission to continue.

STS-55 crew members participated in two amateur radio experiments, SAREX II from the United States and the German SAFEX. These experiments allowed students and amateur radio operators from around the world to talk directly with the Space Shuttle in orbit and participated in a SpaceMedicine conference with the Mayo Clinic.

Launch

Columbia was initially scheduled to launch in late February 1993. However, this date slipped to early March 1993 due to concerns with the tip-seal retainers in the main engines' oxidizer turbopumps. All three turbopumps were replaced at the pad but later inspection revealed the retainers to be in good condition. Further delays were caused by the burst of a hydraulic flex hose in the aft compartment during the Flight Readiness Test (FRT). The lines were removed and inspected and three replacements were installed.

AttemptPlannedResultTurnaroundReasonDecision pointWeather go (%)Notes
122 Mar 1993, 7:30:00 pmScrubbedTechnical22 Mar 1993, 7:29 pm (T-0:03)Pad abort: oxidizer purge valve jammed on a chunk of O-ring, all 3 main engines changed. [1]
224 Apr 1993, 12:00:00 amScrubbed32 days, 4 hours, 30 minutesTechnicalPossible faulty reading with one of the inertial measurement units. [2]
326 Apr 1993, 2:50:00 pmSuccess2 days, 14 hours, 50 minutesLaunched

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-51-F</span> 1985 American crewed spaceflight

STS-51-F was the 19th flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program and the eighth flight of Space Shuttle Challenger. It launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on July 29, 1985, and landed eight days later on August 6, 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spacelab</span> Temporary, reusable laboratory aboard the Space Shuttle

Spacelab was a reusable laboratory developed by European Space Agency (ESA) and used on certain spaceflights flown by the Space Shuttle. The laboratory comprised multiple components, including a pressurized module, an unpressurized carrier, and other related hardware housed in the Shuttle's cargo bay. The components were arranged in various configurations to meet the needs of each spaceflight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-9</span> 1983 American crewed spaceflight and first flight with Spacelab

STS-9 was the ninth NASA Space Shuttle mission and the sixth mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia. Launched on 28 November 1983, the ten-day mission carried the first Spacelab laboratory module into orbit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulf Merbold</span> German astronaut and physicist

Ulf Dietrich Merbold is a German physicist and astronaut who flew to space three times, becoming the first West German citizen in space and the first non-American to fly on a NASA spacecraft. Merbold flew on two Space Shuttle missions and on a Russian mission to the space station Mir, spending a total of 49 days in space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-50</span> 1992 American crewed spaceflight

STS-50 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission, the 12th mission of the Columbia orbiter. Columbia landed at Kennedy Space Center for the first time ever due to bad weather at Edwards Air Force Base caused by the remnants of Hurricane Darby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-51-B</span> 1985 American crewed spaceflight

STS-51-B was the 17th flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program, and the seventh flight of Space Shuttle Challenger. The launch of Challenger on April 29, 1985, was delayed by 2 minutes and 18 seconds, due to a launch processing failure. Challenger was initially rolled out to the pad to launch on the STS-51-E mission. The shuttle was rolled back when a timing issue emerged with the TDRS-B satellite. When STS-51-E was canceled, Challenger was remanifested with the STS-51-B payloads. The shuttle landed successfully on May 6, 1985, after a week-long mission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-61-A</span> 1985 American crewed spaceflight funded and directed by West Germany

STS-61-A was the 22nd mission of NASA's Space Shuttle program. It was a scientific Spacelab mission, funded and directed by West Germany – hence the non-NASA designation of D-1. STS-61-A was the ninth and last successful flight of Space Shuttle Challenger. STS-61-A holds the current record for the largest crew - eight people - aboard any single spacecraft for the entire period from launch to landing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-35</span> 1990 American crewed spaceflight

STS-35 was the tenth flight of Space Shuttle Columbia, the 38th shuttle flight, and a mission devoted to astronomical observations with ASTRO-1, a Spacelab observatory consisting of four telescopes. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on December 2, 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-40</span> 1991 American crewed spaceflight

STS-40, the eleventh launch of Space Shuttle Columbia, was a nine-day mission in June 1991. It carried the Spacelab module for Spacelab Life Sciences 1 (SLS-1), the fifth Spacelab mission and the first dedicated solely to biology. STS-40 was the first spaceflight that included three women crew members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-42</span> 1992 American crewed spaceflight

STS-42 was a NASA Space Shuttle Discovery mission with the Spacelab module. Liftoff was originally scheduled for 8:45 EST on January 22, 1992, but the launch was delayed due to weather constraints. Discovery successfully lifted off an hour later at 9:52:33 EST. The main goal of the mission was to study the effects of microgravity on a variety of organisms. The shuttle landed at 8:07:17 PST on January 30, 1992, on Runway 22, Edwards Air Force Base, California. STS-42 was the first of two flights in 1992 of Discovery, the second of which occurred during STS-53, which launched on December 2, 1992. The mission was also the last mission of the Space Shuttle Discovery to have a seven-member crew until STS-82, which was launched on February 11, 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-47</span> 1992 American crewed spaceflight

STS-47 was the 50th NASA Space Shuttle mission of the program, as well as the second mission of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The mission mainly involved conducting experiments in life and material sciences inside Spacelab-J, a collaborative laboratory inside the shuttle's payload bay sponsored by NASA and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). This mission carried Mamoru Mohri, the first Japanese astronaut aboard the shuttle, Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman to go to space, and the only married couple to fly together on the shuttle, Mark C. Lee and Jan Davis, contrary to NASA policy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-58</span> 1993 American crewed spaceflight

STS-58 was a NASA mission flown by Space Shuttle Columbia launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 18 October 1993. The missions was primarily devoted to experiments concerning the physiological effects in space. This was the first in-flight use of the "Portable In-flight Landing Operations Trainer" (PILOT) simulation software. It was also the last time Columbia would land at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-66</span> 1994 American crewed spaceflight

STS-66 was a Space Shuttle program mission that was flown by the Space Shuttle Atlantis. STS-66 launched on 3 November 1994 at 11:59:43.060 am EDT from Launch Pad 39-B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Atlantis landed at Edwards Air Force Base on 14 November 1994 at 10:33:45 am EST.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-73</span> 1995 American crewed spaceflight

STS-73 was a Space Shuttle program mission, during October–November 1995, on board the Space Shuttle Columbia. The mission was the second mission for the United States Microgravity Laboratory. The crew, who spent 16 days in space, were broken up into 2 teams, the red team and the blue team. The mission also included several Detailed Test Objectives or DTO's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-78</span> 1996 American crewed spaceflight to support the Life and Microgravity Spacelab

STS-78 was the fifth dedicated Life and Microgravity Spacelab mission for the Space Shuttle program, flown partly in preparation for the International Space Station project. The mission used the Space Shuttle Columbia, which lifted off successfully from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39B on June 20, 1996. This marked the 78th flight of the Space Shuttle and 20th mission for Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-83</span> Unsuccessful 1997 American crewed spaceflight

STS-83 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission flown by Columbia. It was a science research mission that achieved orbit successfully, but the planned duration was a failure due to a technical problem with a fuel cell that resulted in the abort of the 15 day duration. Columbia returned to Earth just shy of four days. The mission was re-flown as STS-94 with the same crew later that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-94</span> 1997 American crewed spaceflight to conduct space experiments

STS-94 was a mission of the United States Space Shuttle Columbia, launched on 1 July 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-90</span> 1998 American crewed spaceflight and final flight of Spacelab

STS-90 was a 1998 Space Shuttle mission flown by the Space Shuttle Columbia. The 16-day mission marked the last flight of the European Space Agency's Spacelab laboratory module, which had first flown on Columbia on STS-9, and was also the last daytime landing for Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STS-99</span> 2000 American crewed spaceflight to conduct the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission

STS-99 was a Space Shuttle mission using Endeavour, that launched on 11 February 2000 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The primary objective of the mission was the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) project. This was also the last solo flight of Endeavour; all future flights for Endeavour became devoted to the International Space Station. STS-99 was also the first Shuttle mission of the 2000s.

The German space programme is the set of projects funded by the government of Germany for the exploration and utilisation of outer space. The space programme is run by the German Aerospace Center, who conduct research, plan, and implement the programme on behalf of the German federal government.

References

  1. "Former NASA Astronaut Steven Nagel Dies at 67". Space.com. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  2. "NASA – STS-55". NASA. Retrieved 12 February 2022.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .