STS-61-A

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Mission Insignia


Mission Statistics
Mission:	STS-61-A
Shuttle:	Challenger
Launch Pad:	39A
Launch:	October 30, 1985 17:00:00 UTC
Landing:	November 6, 1985 17:44:51
Duration:	7 days 44 minutes 51 seconds
Orbit Altitude:
Orbit Inclination:	57°
Miles Traveled:
Crew photo

STS-61-A was the 22nd Space Shuttle mission. It was a scientific Spacelab mission booked by Germany - hence the payload name D-1 (for Deutschland 1).

Table of contents

1 Crew
2 Mission Highlights
3 Related articles
4 External Links

Crew

Commander: Henry W. Hartsfield
Pilot: Steven R. Nagel
Mission Specialist 1: Bonnie J. Dunbar
Mission Specialist 2: James F. Buchli
Mission Specialist 3: Guion S. Bluford
Payload Specialist 1: Reinhard Furrer
Payload Specialist 2: Ernst Messerschmid
Payload Specialist 3: Wubbo Ockels
Alternate Payload Specialist: Ulf Merbold (not flown)

Mission Highlights

Dedicated German Spacelab (D-1) mission conducted in long module configuration, which featured Vestibular Sled designed to give scientists data on functional organization of human vestibular and orientation systems. Spacelab D-1 encompassed 75 numbered experiments, most performed more than once. Mission included basic and applied microgravity research in fields of materials science, life sciences and technology, and communications and navigation. Though orbiter controlled from Johnson Space Center, scientific operations controlled from German Space Operations Center at Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich. Other objectives: Global Low Orbiting Message Relay (GLOMR) satellite deployed from Get Away Special canister.

External Links

NASA mission summary

Previous Mission:
STS-51-J

Space Shuttle program

Next Mission:
STS-61-B