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SizeSTS-51F Mission: Spacelab-2
Space Shuttle: Challenger
Launch Pad: 39A 
Launch Weight: 252,855 pounds
Launched: July 29, 1985 at 5:00:00 p.m. EDT
Landing Site: Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
Landing: August 6, 1985 at 12:45:26 p.m. PDT
Landing Weight: 204,169 pounds
Runway: 23 
Rollout Distance: 8,569 feet
Rollout Time: 55 seconds
Revolution: 127
Mission Duration: 7 days, 22 hours, 45 minutes, 26 seconds
Returned to KSC: August 11, 1985
Orbit Altitude: 173 nautical miles
Orbit Inclination: 49.5 degrees
Miles Traveled: 3.3 million 

Crew Members

                    

Image above: STS-51F Crew photo with Commander Gordon Fullerton, Pilot Roy D. 
Bridges, Jr., Mission Specialists F. Story Musgrave, Anthony W. England, Karl G. 
Henize and Payload Specialists Loren W. Acton and John-David F. Bartoe. Image 
Credit: NASA 

Mission Objectives

 The Spacelab-2 payload consisted of an igloo and three pallets in the payload 
bay, containing scientific instruments dedicated to life sciences, plasma 
physics, astronomy, high-energy astrophysics, solar physics, atmospheric physics 
and technology research.

A major objective of the mission was to verify the performance of the Spacelab 
systems with the orbiter as well as to measure the environment created by the 
vehicle in space.

Launch Highlights

The launch countdown July 12 halted at T-3 seconds after main engine ignition 
when a malfunction of the number two space shuttle main engine (SSME) coolant 
valve caused a shutdown of all three main engines. The launch on July 29 was 
delayed 1 hour, 37 minutes due to a problem with the table maintenance block 
update uplink. 5 minutes, 45 seconds into ascent, the number one main engine 
shutdown prematurely, resulting in an Abort To Orbit (ATO) trajectory.

Mission Highlights

Primary payload was Spacelab-2. Despite abort-to-orbit, which required mission 
replanning, mission declared success. Special part of modular Spacelab system, 
the Igloo, located at head of three-pallet train, provided on-site support to 
instruments mounted on pallets. Main mission objective was to verify performance 
of Spacelab systems and determine interface capability of orbiter, and measure 
environment induced by spacecraft. Experiments covered life sciences, plasma 
physics, astronomy, high-energy astrophysics, solar physics, atmospheric physics 
and technology research.

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