United Space AllianceSpace ShuttleLaunch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

STS-88

Launched

December 4, 1998

Launch Successful

Summary

STS-88 launched on an United Space Alliance Space Shuttle from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on December 4, 1998. It was United Space Alliance's 12th launch, 3rd this year and humanity's 4,281st orbital launch attempt. It was the 93rd Space Shuttle flight and the 5th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Endeavour (STS-88), one of 7 catalogued objects, reached a 188 × 330 km orbit inclined 51.6°. 6 crew members flew: Sergei Krikalev, Jerry L. Ross, Robert D. Cabana, Nancy J. Currie-Gregg, James H. Newman and Frederick W. Sturckow. The spacecraft was Space Shuttle Endeavour (OV-105). 7 objects from this launch are catalogued, 4 of them payloads.

Watch: STS-88 launch (12-4-98)3210andLiftoff
Vehicle: Space Shuttle · United Space AllianceInternational Space Station, Space Shuttle
Booster: No booster details on record.
Mission: Human Exploration · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
Milestone: 93rd Space Shuttle flight · 5th this yearUnited Space Alliance's 12th launch3rd this yearhumanity's 4,281st orbital launch attempt74th orbital launch attempt this year

Crew

6 people

Sergei KrikalevMission Specialist · RFSA · age 40 · 4th flight
Jerry L. RossMission Specialist · NASA · age 50 · 6th flight
Robert D. CabanaCommander · NASA · age 49 · 4th flight
Nancy J. Currie-GreggMission Specialist · NASA · age 39 · 3rd flight
James H. NewmanMission Specialist · NASA · age 42 · 3rd flight
Frederick W. SturckowPilot · VG · age 37 · first flight

Spacecraft

Space Shuttle Endeavour (OV-105)

Space Shuttle Endeavour (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-105) is a retired orbiter from NASA's Space Shuttle program and the fifth and final operational shuttle built. It embarked on its first mission, STS-49, in May 1992 and its 25th and final mission, STS-134, in May 2011. STS-134 was expected to be the final mission of the Space Shuttle program, but with the authorization of STS-135, Atlantis became the last shuttle to fly. The United States Congress approved the construction of Endeavour in 1987 to replace Challenger, which was lost in 1986. Structural spares built during the construction of Discovery and Atlantis were used in its assembly. NASA chose, on cost grounds, to build Endeavour from spares rather than refitting Enterprise.

Destination: International Space Station
Mission length: 11 days
Docked December 7, 1998 at Zarya forward

Space Shuttle Endeavour successfully landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility after this mission.

Flight preview

Orbit: as tracked

51.6°Inclination

188 × 330 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements

89.5 minPeriodfrom mean elements

97.3°Ascending node

10178 d agoElement epoch1998-12-04 09:20 UTC · stale

Endeavour (STS-88) · NORAD 25549 · 1998-069 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 7 objects

Show the numbers

Object: TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
Object ID: 1998-069A
Epoch: 1998-12-04 09:20:24 UTC
Mean motion: 16.08190528 rev/day
Eccentricity: 0.0107464
Inclination: 51.5935°
Ascending node: 97.2893°
Arg. of perigee: 10.5614°
Mean anomaly: 186.8743°
Element set: 999
Rev at epoch: 0
B*: 0.00001242

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

7 catalogued: 4 payloads, 3 components; 1 still in orbit

Endeavour (STS-88) · NORAD 25549 · docked December 5, 1998
SAC-A · NORAD 25550 · re-entered October 25, 1999
Mightysat 1 · NORAD 25551 · re-entered November 21, 1999
Unity · NORAD 25575 · in orbit

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

STS-88 was the first Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). It was flown by Space Shuttle Endeavour, and took the first American module, the Unity node, to the station.

Pad

Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

67th launch from Launch Complex 39A, 3rd this year · 110th from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

224 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

184 days after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA Open in maps

Questions

When did STS-88 launch?

STS-88 launched on December 4, 1998. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.

Where can I watch STS-88?

Coverage: STS-88 launch (12-4-98). Watch the replay

What rocket launched STS-88?

Space Shuttle, flown by United Space Alliance. Space Shuttle spec sheet

Where did STS-88 launch from?

Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.

What orbit did STS-88 reach?

Endeavour (STS-88), one of 7 catalogued objects, reached a 188 × 330 km orbit inclined 51.6°.

How many satellites did STS-88 launch?

4 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 1 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).

Which program is STS-88 part of?

International Space Station and Space Shuttle. About International Space Station