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Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace ShuttleLaunch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
STS-41
Launched
October 6, 1990
Summary
STS-41 launched on a Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle from Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on October 6, 1990. It was Lockheed Space Operations Company's 27th launch, 4th this year and humanity's 3,571st orbital launch attempt. It was the 36th Space Shuttle flight and the 4th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Discovery (STS-41), one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 303 × 310 km orbit inclined 28.5°. 5 crew members flew: Richard N. Richards, William Shepherd, Robert D. Cabana, Thomas Akers and Bruce E. Melnick. The spacecraft was Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103). 5 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- STS-41 launch & landing (10-6-90)3210andLiftoff
- Vehicle
- Space Shuttle · Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace Shuttle
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Heliophysics · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 36th Space Shuttle flight · 4th this yearLockheed Space Operations Company's 27th launch4th this yearhumanity's 3,571st orbital launch attempt95th orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
Richard N. RichardsCommander · NASA · age 44 · 2nd flight
William ShepherdMission Specialist · NASA · age 41 · 2nd flight
Robert D. CabanaPilot · NASA · age 41 · first flight
Thomas AkersMission Specialist · NASA · age 39 · first flight
Bruce E. MelnickMission Specialist · NASA · age 40 · 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: 4 days 2 hours
Space Shuttle Discovery successfully landed at Edwards Air Force Base after this mission.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Discovery (STS-41) · NORAD 20841 · 1990-090 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 5 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1990-090A
- Epoch
- 1990-10-06 13:00:04 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.91047095 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0005028
- Inclination
- 28.4713°
- Ascending node
- 23.2469°
- Arg. of perigee
- 252.5024°
- Mean anomaly
- 107.6742°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0
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
5 catalogued: 2 payloads, 3 components; 1 still in orbit
- Discovery (STS-41) · NORAD 20841 · landed October 10, 1990
- Ulysses · NORAD 20842 · left Earth orbit October 6, 1990
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
STS-41 was the eleventh mission of the Space Shuttle Discovery. The four-day mission with a primary objective the launch the Ulysses probe as part of the International Solar Polar Mission.
Pad
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
15th launch from Launch Complex 39B, 2nd this year · 53rd from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
59 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
164 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did STS-41 launch?
STS-41 launched on October 6, 1990. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch STS-41?
Coverage: STS-41 launch & landing (10-6-90). Watch the replay
What rocket launched STS-41?
Space Shuttle, flown by Lockheed Space Operations Company. Space Shuttle spec sheet
Where did STS-41 launch from?
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.
What orbit did STS-41 reach?
Discovery (STS-41), one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 303 × 310 km orbit inclined 28.5°.
How many satellites did STS-41 launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
Which program is STS-41 part of?
Space Shuttle. About Space Shuttle