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Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace ShuttleLaunch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
STS-51-A
Launched
November 8, 1984
Summary
STS-51-A launched on a Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on November 8, 1984. It was Lockheed Space Operations Company's 5th launch, 5th this year and humanity's 2,888th orbital launch attempt. It was the 14th Space Shuttle flight and the 5th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Discovery (STS 51-A), one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 292 × 300 km orbit inclined 28.4°. 5 crew members flew: Frederick "Rick" Hauck, Joseph P. Allen, David M. Walker, Anna Lee Fisher and Dale Gardner. The spacecraft was Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103). 6 objects from this launch are catalogued, 3 of them payloads.
- Watch
- Vehicle
- Space Shuttle · Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace Shuttle
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 14th Space Shuttle flight · 5th this yearLockheed Space Operations Company's 5th launch5th this yearhumanity's 2,888th orbital launch attempt113th orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
Frederick "Rick" HauckCommander · NASA · age 43 · 2nd flight
Joseph P. AllenMission Specialist · NASA · age 47 · 2nd flight
David M. WalkerPilot · NASA · age 40 · first flight
Anna Lee FisherMission Specialist · NASA · age 35 · first flight
Dale GardnerMission Specialist · NASA · age 36 · 2nd 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: 7 days 23 hours
Space Shuttle Discovery successfully landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility after this mission.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Discovery (STS 51-A) · NORAD 15382 · 1984-113 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 6 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1984-113A
- Epoch
- 1984-11-08 12:19:08 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.94641763 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0006035
- Inclination
- 28.445°
- Ascending node
- 78.9398°
- Arg. of perigee
- 72.4235°
- Mean anomaly
- 287.7037°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0.00025934
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: 3 payloads, 3 components; 4 still in orbit
- Discovery (STS 51-A) · NORAD 15382 · landed November 16, 1984
- Anik D2 · NORAD 15383
- Leasat 1 · NORAD 15384 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
STS-51-A was the fourteenth flight of the Space Shuttle program and second flight for the Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission lasted 8 days and deployed a number of 10 satellites.
Pad
Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
26th launch from Launch Complex 39A, 5th this year · 31st from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
224 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
34 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did STS-51-A launch?
STS-51-A launched on November 8, 1984. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch STS-51-A?
Coverage: CBS News Coverage of The STS-51-A Launch. Watch the replay
What rocket launched STS-51-A?
Space Shuttle, flown by Lockheed Space Operations Company. Space Shuttle spec sheet
Where did STS-51-A launch from?
Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.
What orbit did STS-51-A reach?
Discovery (STS 51-A), one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 292 × 300 km orbit inclined 28.4°.
How many satellites did STS-51-A launch?
3 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 1 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
Which program is STS-51-A part of?
Space Shuttle. About Space Shuttle