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Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace ShuttleLaunch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
STS-42
Launched
January 22, 1992
Summary
STS-42 launched on a Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on January 22, 1992. It was Lockheed Space Operations Company's 36th launch, 1st this year and humanity's 3,690th orbital launch attempt. It was the 45th Space Shuttle flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). It reached a 299 × 315 km orbit inclined 57.0°. 7 crew members flew: Roberta Bondar, David Hilmers, Ulf Merbold, Ronald J. Grabe, Stephen S. Oswald, William F. Readdy and Norman E. Thagard. The spacecraft was Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103). One object from this launch is catalogued.
- Watch
- STS-42 launch & landing (1-22-92)3210andLiftoff
- Vehicle
- Space Shuttle · Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace Shuttle
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 45th Space Shuttle flight · 1st this yearLockheed Space Operations Company's 36th launch1st this yearhumanity's 3,690th orbital launch attempt2nd orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
Roberta BondarPayload Specialist · CSA · age 46 · first flight
David HilmersMission Specialist · NASA · age 41 · 4th flight
Ulf MerboldPayload Specialist · ESA · age 50 · 2nd flight
Ronald J. GrabeCommander · NASA · age 46 · 3rd flight
Stephen S. OswaldPilot · NASA · age 40 · first flight
William F. ReaddyMission Specialist · NASA · age 39 · first flight
Norman E. ThagardMission Specialist · NASA · age 48 · 4th 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 1 hour
Space Shuttle Discovery successfully landed at Edwards Air Force Base after this mission.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Discovery (STS-42) · NORAD 21846 · 1992-002 · Space-Track
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1992-002A
- Epoch
- 1992-01-22 15:31:22 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.90891447 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0011488
- Inclination
- 56.9695°
- Ascending node
- 244.1961°
- Arg. of perigee
- 258.1101°
- Mean anomaly
- 271.6087°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0.00025599
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
1 catalogued: 1 payload; none still in orbit
- Discovery (STS-42) · NORAD 21846 · landed January 30, 1992
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
STS-42 was a Space Shuttle Discovery mission with the Spacelab module. The main goal of the mission was to study the effects of microgravity on a variety of organisms.
Pad
Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
44th launch from Launch Complex 39A, 1st this year · 62nd from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
224 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
58 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did STS-42 launch?
STS-42 launched on January 22, 1992. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch STS-42?
Coverage: STS-42 launch & landing (1-22-92). Watch the replay
What rocket launched STS-42?
Space Shuttle, flown by Lockheed Space Operations Company. Space Shuttle spec sheet
Where did STS-42 launch from?
Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.
What orbit did STS-42 reach?
It reached a 299 × 315 km orbit inclined 57.0°.
Which program is STS-42 part of?
Space Shuttle. About Space Shuttle