 TDRS-D being deployed on Flight Day 1 of the mission. | |
| Names | Space Transportation System-29 STS-29R |
|---|---|
| Mission type | TDRS-D deployment |
| Operator | NASA |
| COSPAR ID | 1989-021A |
| SATCATno. | 19882 |
| Mission duration | 4 days, 23 hours, 38 minutes, 50 seconds |
| Distance travelled | 3,200,000 km (2,000,000 mi) |
| Orbits completed | 80 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Space Shuttle Discovery |
| Launch mass | 116,281 kg (256,356 lb) |
| Landing mass | 88,353 kg (194,785 lb) |
| Payload mass | 17,280 kg (38,100 lb) |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 5 |
| Members | |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | March 13, 1989, 14:57:00 (1989-03-13UTC14:57Z) UTC (9:57 am EST) |
| Launch site | Kennedy,LC-39B |
| Contractor | Rockwell International |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | March 18, 1989, 14:35:50 (1989-03-18UTC14:35:51Z) UTC (6:35:50 am PST) |
| Landing site | Edwards, Runway 22 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 297 km (185 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 308 km (191 mi) |
| Inclination | 28.45° |
| Period | 90.60 minutes |
| Instruments | |
| |
 STS-29 mission patch  Back row:Bagian,Springer andBuchli Front row:Blaha andCoats | |
STS-29 was the 28thNASASpace Shuttle mission, during whichSpace ShuttleDiscovery inserted aTracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) intoEarth orbit.[1] It was the third shuttle mission following theChallenger disaster in 1986, and launched fromKennedy Space Center,Florida, on March 13, 1989.[2]STS-29R was the eighth flight ofDiscovery and the 28th Space Shuttle mission overall; its planned predecessor,STS-28, was delayed until August 1989.
The mission was technically designatedSTS-29R as the original STS-29 designator belonged toSTS-61-A, the 22nd Space Shuttle mission. Official documentation and paperwork for that mission contained the designator STS-29 when it was allocated to Space ShuttleColumbia and later as STS-30 when allocated toChallenger. AsSTS-51-L was designated STS-33, future flights with theSTS-26 throughSTS-33 designators would require theR in their documentation to avoid conflicts in tracking data from one mission to another.
| Position | Astronaut | |
|---|---|---|
| Commander | Michael Coats Second spaceflight | |
| Pilot | John E. Blaha First spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist 1 | Robert C. Springer First spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist 2 Flight Engineer | James Buchli Third spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist 3 | James P. Bagian First spaceflight | |
Prior to theChallenger disaster, this mission was slated to launch in June 1986 asSTS-61-H withColumbia as the spacecraft.Anna L. Fisher was originally assigned to be as mission specialist, which would have been her second spaceflight. Fisher chose to leave from NASA in order to be with her family and was replaced by rookieJames P. Bagian. This mission would include payload specialists fromIndonesia and theUnited Kingdom, however, they did not have a chance to fly again.
| Seat[3] | Launch | Landing |  Seats 1–4 are on the flight deck. Seats 5–7 are on the mid-deck. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coats | ||
| 2 | Blaha | ||
| 3 | Springer | Bagian | |
| 4 | Buchli | ||
| 5 | Bagian | Springer | |
| 6 | Unused | ||
| 7 | Unused | ||
Discovery lifted off fromLaunch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, at 9:57:00 a.m.EST on March 13, 1989.[4] The launch was originally scheduled for February 18, 1989, but was postponed to allow for the replacement of faultyliquid oxygen turbopumps on the three main engines. The amended target date of March 11, 1989, was postponed by 1 day, because of the failure of a master event controller (MEC); #2 when it was powered up during prelaunch checkout,[5] as well as an additional day to replace a faulty fuel preburner oxidizer valve (FPOV).[5] On the rescheduled launch day of March 13, 1989, the launch was delayed for nearly two hours because of ground fog and high upper winds.[5] A waiver was approved for the orbiter's wing loads.
The primary payload wasTDRS-D, the third and final component of theTracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) constellation ingeosynchronous orbit.[1] The three on-orbit satellites were stationed over theequator at about 35,900 km (22,300 mi) above Earth; two of them were positioned 130° apart, while the third was located between them as an on-orbit spare.
On Flight Day 1, one of three cryogenic hydrogen tanks which supplied shuttle's electricity-generating fuel cells exhibited erratic pressure fluctuations. It was deactivated while engineers studied the problem, and the crew was told to conserve electrical power. The tank was reactivated on Flight Day 3, March 15, 1989, and operated successfully thereafter.[6]
Discovery landed on March 18, 1989, after orbit 80, one orbit earlier than planned, in order to avoid possible excessive wind buildup expected at the landing site. The shuttle touched down on Runway 22 atEdwards Air Force Base,California, at 9:35:51 a.m. EST. The total mission duration was 4 days, 23 hours, 38 minutes, and 52 seconds.[5]
The mission's primary payload was TDRS-D,[5] which became TDRS-4 after deployment, and its attachedInertial Upper Stage (IUS). The satellite was deployed from the shuttle's payload bay less than six hours after launch, at 3:12 a.m. EST. The first-stage orbit burn of the IUS took place an hour later, and the second burn to circularize the orbit occurred 12 hours and 30 minutes into the mission. The satellite was stationed at 41.0° Westlongitude.
Discovery also carried eightsecondary payloads, including two Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP) experiments. One student experiment, using four liverats with tiny pieces of bone removed from their bodies, was to test whether the environmental effects of space flight inhibit bone healing. The other student experiment was to fly 32chickeneggs to determine the effects of space flight on fertilized chickenembryos.[7]
One experiment, mounted in the payload bay, was only termed "partially successful". The Space Station Heat Pipe Advanced Radiator Element (SHARE), a potential cooling system for the plannedSpace StationFreedom, operated continuously for less than 30 minutes under powered electrical loads. The failure was blamed on the faulty design of the equipment, especially the manifold section.[8]
All other experiments operated successfully.Crystals were obtained from all theproteins in the Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) experiment. The Chromosomes and Plant Cell Division in Space (CHROMEX), a life sciences experiment, was designed to show the effects ofmicrogravity on root development. AnIMAX (70 mm) camera was used to film a variety of scenes for the 1990 IMAX filmBlue Planet,[9] including the effects of floods, hurricanes, wildfires and volcanic eruptions on Earth. A ground-basedU.S. Air Force experiment used the orbiter as a calibration target for theAir Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) inHawaii.[10]
NASA began a tradition of playing music to astronauts during theProject Gemini, and first used music to wake up a flight crew duringApollo 15. Each track is specially chosen, often by the astronauts' families, and usually has a special meaning to an individual member of the crew, or is applicable to their daily activities.[11]
| Flight Day | Song | Artist/Composer |
|---|---|---|
| Day 2 | "I Got You (I Feel Good)" | James Brown |
| Day 3 | "Marine Corps Hymn" | |
| Day 4 | "Theme fromStar Trek: TOS" | Alexander Courage |
| Day 5 | "Heigh-Ho" | Song from theWalt Disney animated filmSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs |
| Day 6 | "What a Wonderful World" | Louis Armstrong |
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.Space ShuttleDiscovery (OV-103) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Completed flights | .jpg) | |
| Status |
| |
| On display | ||
| Related |
| |