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Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace ShuttleLaunch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
STS-51-I
Launched
August 27, 1985
Summary
STS-51-I launched on a Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on August 27, 1985. It was Lockheed Space Operations Company's 11th launch, 6th this year and humanity's 2,981st orbital launch attempt. It was the 20th Space Shuttle flight and the 6th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Discovery (STS 51-I), one of 8 catalogued objects, reached a 354 × 367 km orbit inclined 28.5°. 5 crew members flew: Joe Engle, Richard O. Covey, James van Hoften, William Frederick Fisher and John M. Lounge. The spacecraft was Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103). 8 objects from this launch are catalogued, 4 of them payloads.
- Watch
- STS-51I space shuttle launch live on NASA TVMatthew Travis
- Vehicle
- Space Shuttle · Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace Shuttle
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 20th Space Shuttle flight · 6th this yearLockheed Space Operations Company's 11th launch6th this yearhumanity's 2,981st orbital launch attempt77th orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
Joe EngleCommander · NASA · age 53 · 5th flight
Richard O. CoveyPilot · NASA · age 39 · first flight
James van HoftenMission Specialist · NASA · age 41 · 2nd flight
William Frederick FisherMission Specialist · NASA · age 39 · first flight
John M. LoungeMission Specialist · NASA · age 39 · 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: 7 days 2 hours
Space Shuttle Discovery successfully landed at Edwards Air Force Base after this mission.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Discovery (STS 51-I) · NORAD 15992 · 1985-076 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 8 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1985-076A
- Epoch
- 1985-08-27 11:29:33 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.71913099 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.000945
- Inclination
- 28.5°
- Ascending node
- 350.3385°
- Arg. of perigee
- 243.6664°
- Mean anomaly
- 116.2973°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0.0002547
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
8 catalogued: 4 payloads, 4 components; 4 still in orbit
- Discovery (STS 51-I) · NORAD 15992 · landed September 3, 1985
- Aussat K1 · NORAD 15993
- ASC 1 · NORAD 15994
- Leasat 4 · NORAD 15995 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
STS-51-I was the twentieth of the shuttle program and sixth of Space Shuttle Discovery. It deployed three 10 satellites and then repaired a malfunctioning satellite. This mission required two EVAs.
Pad
Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
32nd launch from Launch Complex 39A, 6th this year · 37th from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
224 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
28 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did STS-51-I launch?
STS-51-I launched on August 27, 1985. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch STS-51-I?
Coverage: STS-51I space shuttle launch live on NASA TV. Watch the replay
What rocket launched STS-51-I?
Space Shuttle, flown by Lockheed Space Operations Company. Space Shuttle spec sheet
Where did STS-51-I launch from?
Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.
What orbit did STS-51-I reach?
Discovery (STS 51-I), one of 8 catalogued objects, reached a 354 × 367 km orbit inclined 28.5°.
How many satellites did STS-51-I launch?
4 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 1 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
Which program is STS-51-I part of?
Space Shuttle. About Space Shuttle