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Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace ShuttleLaunch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
STS-51-J
Launched
October 3, 1985
Summary
STS-51-J launched on a Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on October 3, 1985. It was Lockheed Space Operations Company's 12th launch, 7th this year and humanity's 2,999th orbital launch attempt. It was the 21st Space Shuttle flight and the 7th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Atlantis (STS 51-J), one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 476 × 483 km orbit inclined 28.5°. 5 crew members flew: David Hilmers, Karol J. Bobko, Robert L. Stewart, Ronald J. Grabe and William A. Pailes. The spacecraft was Space Shuttle Atlantis (OV-104). 5 objects from this launch are catalogued, 3 of them payloads.
- Watch
- STS 51-J LaunchTheRay125
- Vehicle
- Space Shuttle · Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace Shuttle
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 21st Space Shuttle flight · 7th this yearLockheed Space Operations Company's 12th launch7th this yearhumanity's 2,999th orbital launch attempt95th orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
David HilmersMission Specialist · NASA · age 35 · first flight
Karol J. BobkoCommander · NASA · age 47 · 3rd flight
Robert L. StewartMission Specialist · NASA · age 43 · 2nd flight
Ronald J. GrabePilot · NASA · age 40 · first flight
William A. PailesPayload Specialist · USAF · age 33 · first flight
Spacecraft
Space Shuttle Atlantis (OV-104)
Space Shuttle Atlantis (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV‑104) is a Space Shuttle orbiter vehicle belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States. Constructed by the Rockwell International company in Southern California and delivered to the Kennedy Space Center in Eastern Florida in April 1985, Atlantis is the fourth operational and the second-to-last Space Shuttle built. Its maiden flight was STS-51-J from 3 to 7 October 1985. Atlantis embarked on its 33rd and final mission, also the final mission of a space shuttle, STS-135, on 8 July 2011. STS-134 by Endeavour was expected to be the final flight before STS-135 was authorized in October 2010. STS-135 took advantage of the processing for the STS-335 Launch On Need mission that would have been necessary if STS-134's crew became stranded in orbit. Atlantis landed for the final time at the Kennedy Space Center on 21 July 2011. By the end of its final mission, Atlantis had orbited the Earth a total of 4,848 times, traveling nearly 126,000,000 mi (203,000,000 km) or more than 525 times the distance from the Earth to the Moon.
- Destination: Low Earth Orbit
- Mission length: 4 days 1 hour
Space Shuttle Atlantis successfully landed at Edwards Air Force Base after this mission.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Atlantis (STS 51-J) · NORAD 16115 · 1985-092 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 5 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1985-092A
- Epoch
- 1985-10-03 16:02:10 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.31069916 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0005383
- Inclination
- 28.5234°
- Ascending node
- 70.7953°
- Arg. of perigee
- 270.7227°
- Mean anomaly
- 343.6624°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 1
- B*
- 0.00027078
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: 3 payloads, 2 components; 4 still in orbit
- Atlantis (STS 51-J) · NORAD 16115 · landed October 7, 1985
- DSCS III B-4 · NORAD 16116 · in orbit
- DSCS III B-5 · NORAD 16117 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
STS-51-J was the twenty-first space shuttle mission and the maiden flight of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. It was the second mission dedicated to deploying a Department of Defence payload. It was a classified mission however we do know that it deployed two 10 satellites.
Pad
Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
33rd launch from Launch Complex 39A, 7th this year · 38th from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
224 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
37 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did STS-51-J launch?
STS-51-J launched on October 3, 1985. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch STS-51-J?
Coverage: STS 51-J Launch. Watch the replay
What rocket launched STS-51-J?
Space Shuttle, flown by Lockheed Space Operations Company. Space Shuttle spec sheet
Where did STS-51-J launch from?
Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.
What orbit did STS-51-J reach?
Atlantis (STS 51-J), one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 476 × 483 km orbit inclined 28.5°.
How many satellites did STS-51-J launch?
3 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
Which program is STS-51-J part of?
Space Shuttle. About Space Shuttle