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Lockheed Martin Space OperationsSpace ShuttleLaunch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
STS-73
Launched
October 20, 1995
Summary
STS-73 launched on a Lockheed Martin Space Operations Space Shuttle from Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on October 20, 1995. It was Lockheed Martin Space Operations's 3rd launch, 3rd this year and humanity's 4,022nd orbital launch attempt. It was the 72nd Space Shuttle flight and the 6th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). It reached a 275 × 285 km orbit inclined 39.0°. 7 crew members flew: Kathryn C. Thornton, Ken Bowersox, Kent Rominger, Catherine Coleman, Michael López-Alegría, Frederick W. Leslie and Albert Sacco. The spacecraft was Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102). One object from this launch is catalogued.
- Watch
- STS-73 launch & landing (10-20-95)3210andLiftoff
- Vehicle
- Space Shuttle · Lockheed Martin Space OperationsSpace Shuttle
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 72nd Space Shuttle flight · 6th this yearLockheed Martin Space Operations's 3rd launch3rd this yearhumanity's 4,022nd orbital launch attempt61st orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
Kathryn C. ThorntonMission Specialist · NASA · age 43 · 4th flight
Ken BowersoxCommander · NASA · age 38 · 3rd flight
Kent RomingerPilot · NASA · age 39 · first flight
Catherine ColemanMission Specialist · NASA · age 34 · first flight
Michael López-AlegríaMission Specialist · AXS · age 37 · first flight
Frederick W. LesliePayload Specialist · NASA · age 43 · first flight
Albert SaccoPayload Specialist · NASA · age 46 · first flight
Spacecraft
Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102)
Space Shuttle Columbia (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first space-rated orbiter in NASA's Space Shuttle fleet. It launched for the first time on mission STS-1 on April 12, 1981, the first flight of the Space Shuttle program. Over 22 years of service, it completed 27 missions before disintegrating during re-entry near the end of its 28th mission, STS-107 on February 1, 2003, resulting in the deaths of all seven crew members.
- Destination: Low Earth Orbit
- Mission length: 15 days
Space Shuttle Columbia successfully landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility after this mission.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Columbia (STS-73) · NORAD 23688 · 1995-056 · Space-Track
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- STS 73
- Object ID
- 1995-056A
- Epoch
- 1995-10-20 16:55:09 UTC
- Mean motion
- 16.00573525 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0008093
- Inclination
- 39.0104°
- Ascending node
- 114.5814°
- Arg. of perigee
- 274.7508°
- Mean anomaly
- 124.7244°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 2
- B*
- 0
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
- Columbia (STS-73) · NORAD 23688 · landed November 5, 1995
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
STS-73 was a Space Shuttle program mission, during October–November 1995, on board the space shuttle Columbia. The mission was the second mission for the United States Microgravity Laboratory. The crew, who spent 16 days in space, were broken up into 2 teams, the red team and the blue team. The mission also included several Detailed Test Objectives or DTO's.
Pad
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
33rd launch from Launch Complex 39B, 3rd this year · 89th from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
59 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
99 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did STS-73 launch?
STS-73 launched on October 20, 1995. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch STS-73?
Coverage: STS-73 launch & landing (10-20-95). Watch the replay
What rocket launched STS-73?
Space Shuttle, flown by Lockheed Martin Space Operations. Space Shuttle spec sheet
Where did STS-73 launch from?
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.
What orbit did STS-73 reach?
It reached a 275 × 285 km orbit inclined 39.0°.
Which program is STS-73 part of?
Space Shuttle. About Space Shuttle