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Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace ShuttleLaunch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
STS-51
Launched
September 12, 1993
Summary
STS-51 launched on a Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle from Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on September 12, 1993. It was Lockheed Space Operations Company's 48th launch, 5th this year and humanity's 3,845th orbital launch attempt. It was the 57th Space Shuttle flight and the 5th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Discovery (STS-51), one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 303 × 311 km orbit inclined 28.5°. 5 crew members flew: Frank L. Culbertson Jr., William F. Readdy, Daniel W. Bursch, James H. Newman and Carl E. Walz. The spacecraft was Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103). 6 objects from this launch are catalogued, 3 of them payloads.
- Watch
- STS-51 launch & landing (9-12-93)3210andLiftoff
- Vehicle
- Space Shuttle · Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace Shuttle
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 57th Space Shuttle flight · 5th this yearLockheed Space Operations Company's 48th launch5th this yearhumanity's 3,845th orbital launch attempt60th orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
Frank L. Culbertson Jr.Commander · NASA · age 44 · 2nd flight
William F. ReaddyPilot · NASA · age 41 · 2nd flight
Daniel W. BurschMission Specialist · NASA · age 36 · first flight
James H. NewmanMission Specialist · NASA · age 36 · first flight
Carl E. WalzMission Specialist · NASA · age 38 · 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: 9 days 20 hours
Space Shuttle Discovery successfully landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility after this mission.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Discovery (STS-51) · NORAD 22795 · 1993-058 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 6 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1993-058A
- Epoch
- 1993-09-12 12:57:38 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.90846555 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0006159
- Inclination
- 28.4635°
- Ascending node
- 359.2766°
- Arg. of perigee
- 268.4788°
- Mean anomaly
- 91.0692°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 1
- B*
- 7.8578e-7
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; 2 still in orbit
- Discovery (STS-51) · NORAD 22795 · landed September 22, 1993
- ACTS · NORAD 22796 · in orbit
- ORFEUS-SPAS · NORAD 22798
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
STS-51 was a Space Shuttle Discovery mission that launched the Advanced 10 Technology Satellite (ACTS) in September 1993. The flight also featured the deployment and retrieval of the SPAS-ORFEUS satellite and its IMAX camera, which captured spectacular footage of Discovery in space. A spacewalk was also performed during the mission to evaluate tools and techniques for the STS-61 Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission later that year.
Pad
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
25th launch from Launch Complex 39B, 4th this year · 74th from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
59 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
82 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did STS-51 launch?
STS-51 launched on September 12, 1993. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch STS-51?
Coverage: STS-51 launch & landing (9-12-93). Watch the replay
What rocket launched STS-51?
Space Shuttle, flown by Lockheed Space Operations Company. Space Shuttle spec sheet
Where did STS-51 launch from?
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.
What orbit did STS-51 reach?
Discovery (STS-51), one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 303 × 311 km orbit inclined 28.5°.
How many satellites did STS-51 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 part of?
Space Shuttle. About Space Shuttle