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Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace ShuttleLaunch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
STS-39
Launched
April 28, 1991
Summary
STS-39 launched on a Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on April 28, 1991. It was Lockheed Space Operations Company's 31st launch, 2nd this year and humanity's 3,629th orbital launch attempt. It was the 40th Space Shuttle flight and the 2nd this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Discovery (STS-39), one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 258 × 270 km orbit inclined 57.0°. 7 crew members flew: Lloyd Hammond, Gregory Harbaugh, Richard Hieb, Michael Coats, Guion Bluford, Charles L. Veach and Donald R. McMonagle. The spacecraft was Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103). 6 objects from this launch are catalogued, all of them payloads.
- Watch
- STS-39 launch & landing (4-28-91)3210andLiftoff
- Vehicle
- Space Shuttle · Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace Shuttle
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 40th Space Shuttle flight · 2nd this yearLockheed Space Operations Company's 31st launch2nd this yearhumanity's 3,629th orbital launch attempt32nd orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
Lloyd HammondPilot · NASA · age 39 · first flight
Gregory HarbaughMission Specialist · NASA · age 35 · first flight
Richard HiebMission Specialist · NASA · age 35 · first flight
Michael CoatsCommander · NASA · age 45 · 3rd flight
Guion BlufordMission Specialist · NASA · age 48 · 3rd flight
Charles L. VeachMission Specialist · NASA · age 46 · first flight
Donald R. McMonagleMission Specialist · NASA · age 38 · 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: 8 days 7 hours
Space Shuttle Discovery successfully landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility after this mission.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Discovery (STS-39) · NORAD 21242 · 1991-031 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 6 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- STS 39
- Object ID
- 1991-031A
- Epoch
- 1991-04-28 14:28:52 UTC
- Mean motion
- 16.06278845 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0009153
- Inclination
- 56.9897°
- Ascending node
- 288.8514°
- Arg. of perigee
- 256.969°
- Mean anomaly
- 102.8903°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 2
- B*
- 0.000256
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
6 catalogued: 6 payloads
- Discovery (STS-39) · NORAD 21242 · landed May 6, 1991
- IBSS/SPAS · NORAD 21244
- CRO-C · NORAD 21245 · re-entered May 14, 1991
- CRO-B · NORAD 21246 · re-entered May 12, 1991
- CRO-A · NORAD 21247 · re-entered May 13, 1991
- USA 70 · NORAD 21262 · re-entered August 15, 1991
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
STS-39 was the twelfth mission of the Space Shuttle Discovery and its primary purpose was to conduct a variety of payload experiments for the Department of Defence.
Pad
Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
40th launch from Launch Complex 39A, 1st this year · 57th from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
224 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
163 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did STS-39 launch?
STS-39 launched on April 28, 1991. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch STS-39?
Coverage: STS-39 launch & landing (4-28-91). Watch the replay
What rocket launched STS-39?
Space Shuttle, flown by Lockheed Space Operations Company. Space Shuttle spec sheet
Where did STS-39 launch from?
Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.
What orbit did STS-39 reach?
Discovery (STS-39), one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 258 × 270 km orbit inclined 57.0°.
How many satellites did STS-39 launch?
6 payloads from this launch are catalogued (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
Which program is STS-39 part of?
Space Shuttle. About Space Shuttle