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Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace ShuttleLaunch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
STS-33
Launched
November 23, 1989
Summary
STS-33 launched on a Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle from Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on November 23, 1989. It was Lockheed Space Operations Company's 23rd launch, 5th this year and humanity's 3,465th orbital launch attempt. It was the 32nd Space Shuttle flight and the 5th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Discovery (STS-33R), one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 206 × 221 km orbit inclined 28.5°. 5 crew members flew: Story Musgrave, Frederick D. Gregory, John E. Blaha, Sonny Carter and Kathryn C. Thornton. The spacecraft was Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103). 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- STS-33 launch & landing (11-22-89)3210andLiftoff
- Vehicle
- Space Shuttle · Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace Shuttle
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 32nd Space Shuttle flight · 5th this yearLockheed Space Operations Company's 23rd launch5th this yearhumanity's 3,465th orbital launch attempt91st orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
Story MusgraveMission Specialist · NASA · age 54 · 3rd flight
Frederick D. GregoryCommander · NASA · age 48 · 2nd flight
John E. BlahaPilot · NASA · age 47 · 2nd flight
Sonny CarterMission Specialist · NASA · age 42 · first flight
Kathryn C. ThorntonMission Specialist · NASA · age 37 · first flight
Spacecraft
Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103)
Space Shuttle Discovery (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is one of the orbiters from NASA's Space Shuttle program and the third of five fully operational orbiters to be built. Its first mission, STS-41-D, flew from August 30 to September 5, 1984. Over 27 years of service it launched and landed 39 times, gathering more spaceflights than any other spacecraft to date. Discovery became the third operational orbiter to enter service, preceded by Columbia and Challenger. It embarked on its last mission, STS-133, on February 24, 2011 and touched down for the final time at Kennedy Space Center on March 9, having spent a cumulative total of almost a full year in space. Discovery performed both research and International Space Station (ISS) assembly missions. It also carried the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit. Discovery was the first operational shuttle to be retired, followed by Endeavour and then Atlantis.
- Destination: Low Earth Orbit
- Mission length: 5 days
Space Shuttle Discovery successfully landed at Edwards Air Force Base after this mission.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Discovery (STS-33R) · NORAD 20329 · 1989-090 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- STS 33
- Object ID
- 1989-090A
- Epoch
- 1989-11-23 00:06:18 UTC
- Mean motion
- 16.24905829 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0010947
- Inclination
- 28.4754°
- Ascending node
- 259.8921°
- Arg. of perigee
- 219.9708°
- Mean anomaly
- 140.0107°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 1.8707e-7
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
4 catalogued: 2 payloads, 2 components; 3 still in orbit
- Discovery (STS-33R) · NORAD 20329 · landed November 28, 1989
- USA 48 · NORAD 20355 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
STS-33 was the thirty-second shuttle mission and the ninth of Space Shuttle Discovery. It was the fifth shuttle mission in support of the Department of Defence.
Pad
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
13th launch from Launch Complex 39B, 5th this year · 49th from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
59 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
35 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did STS-33 launch?
STS-33 launched on November 23, 1989. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch STS-33?
Coverage: STS-33 launch & landing (11-22-89). Watch the replay
What rocket launched STS-33?
Space Shuttle, flown by Lockheed Space Operations Company. Space Shuttle spec sheet
Where did STS-33 launch from?
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.
What orbit did STS-33 reach?
Discovery (STS-33R), one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 206 × 221 km orbit inclined 28.5°.
How many satellites did STS-33 launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 1 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
Which program is STS-33 part of?
Space Shuttle. About Space Shuttle