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Lockheed Space Operations CompanySpace ShuttleLaunch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
STS-96
Launched
May 27, 1999
Summary
STS-96 launched on a Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle from Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on May 27, 1999. It was Lockheed Space Operations Company's 64th launch, 1st this year and humanity's 4,320th orbital launch attempt. It was the 94th Space Shuttle flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Discovery (STS-96), one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 331 × 349 km orbit inclined 51.6°. 7 crew members flew: Rick Husband, Julie Payette, Valeri Tokarev, Tamara E. Jernigan, Ellen Ochoa, Kent Rominger and Daniel T. Barry. The spacecraft was Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103). 3 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- STS-96 launch (5-27-99)3210andLiftoff
- Vehicle
- Space Shuttle · Lockheed Space Operations CompanyInternational Space Station, Space Shuttle
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Human Exploration · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 94th Space Shuttle flight · 1st this yearLockheed Space Operations Company's 64th launch1st this yearhumanity's 4,320th orbital launch attempt31st orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
Rick HusbandPilot · NASA · age 41 · first flight
Julie PayetteMission Specialist · CSA · age 35 · first flight
Valeri TokarevMission Specialist · RFSA · age 46 · first flight
Tamara E. JerniganMission Specialist · NASA · age 40 · 5th flight
Ellen OchoaMission Specialist · NASA · age 41 · 3rd flight
Kent RomingerCommander · NASA · age 42 · 4th flight
Daniel T. BarryMission Specialist · NASA · age 45 · 2nd 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: International Space Station
- Mission length: 9 days 19 hours
- Docked May 29, 1999 at Unity forward
Space Shuttle Discovery successfully landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility after this mission.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Discovery (STS-96) · NORAD 25760 · 1999-030 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 3 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- STS 96
- Object ID
- 1999-030A
- Epoch
- 1999-05-27 10:44:33 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.79135817 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0013416
- Inclination
- 51.5901°
- Ascending node
- 302.2753°
- Arg. of perigee
- 234.3412°
- Mean anomaly
- 125.6944°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 1
- 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
3 catalogued: 2 payloads, 1 component
- Discovery (STS-96) · NORAD 25760 · docked May 29, 1999
- Starshine · NORAD 25769 · re-entered February 18, 2000
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
STS-96 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) flown by Space Shuttle Discovery, and the first shuttle flight to dock with the International Space Station. The shuttle carried the Spacehab module in the payload, filled with cargo for station outfitting. STS-96 launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 27 May 1999 at 06:49:42 AM EDT.
Pad
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
44th launch from Launch Complex 39B, 1st this year · 111th from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
59 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
209 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did STS-96 launch?
STS-96 launched on May 27, 1999. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch STS-96?
Coverage: STS-96 launch (5-27-99). Watch the replay
What rocket launched STS-96?
Space Shuttle, flown by Lockheed Space Operations Company. Space Shuttle spec sheet
Where did STS-96 launch from?
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.
What orbit did STS-96 reach?
Discovery (STS-96), one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 331 × 349 km orbit inclined 51.6°.
How many satellites did STS-96 launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
Which program is STS-96 part of?
International Space Station and Space Shuttle. About International Space Station