Tay Vaughan - Challenger 41-G

5 October 1984 10:48 GMT. Landing Date: 1984-10-13 16:11:33. Flight Time: 8.22 days. Flight Up: STS-41-G. Flight Back: STS-41-G. Call Sign: Challenger. Crew: Crippen, Garneau, Leestma, McBride, Ride, Scully-Power, Sullivan. Program: STS.

Of note: First spaceflight to include two women. First American woman to walk in space. First Canadian astronaut. Record crew size aboard a single spacecraft.

On the lighter side: An article was circulated in the astronaut office showing that female astronauts would be more vulnerable on long space missions as they aged since their natural tendency to lose bone mass would be accelerated. A female astronaut had annotated the article with the note "This is why women should be first in line to fly the shuttle". To which a male colleague responded "This is why NASA should hire younger women".Manned seven crew. Deployed ERBS; performed high resolution Earth imagery. Payloads: Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) deployment, Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications (OSTA)-3 experiments, Large Format Camera (LFC). First use of Orbital Refueling System (ORS) with extravehicular activity (EVA) astronauts, IMAX camera. In response to the American Strategic Defence Initiative and continued military use of the shuttle, the Soviet Union fired a 'warning shot' from the Terra-3 laser complex at Sary Shagan. The facility tracked Challenger with a low power laser on 10 October 1984. This caused malfunctions to on-board equipment and discomfort / temporary blinding of the crew, leading to a US diplomatic protest.

Orbits of Earth: 132. Distance traveled: 5,527,201 km. Orbiter Liftoff Mass: 110,127 kg. Orbiter Mass at Landing: 91,744 kg. Payload to Orbit: 10,643 kg. Payload Returned: 8,398 kg. Landed at: Runway 33 at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Landing Speed: 385 kph. Touchdown miss distance: 292 m. Landing Rollout: 3,240 m. EVA: Kathryn Sullivan and David Leestma. EVA duration 3 hours, 29 minutes.

NASA Official Mission Narrative

Mission Name: 41-G (13)
CHALLENGER (6)
Pad 39-A (25)
13th Shuttle mission
6th Flight OV-99
2nd KSC landing

Crew:
Robert L. Crippen (4), Commander
Jon A. McBride (1), Pilot
Kathryn D. Sullivan (1), Mission Specialist 1
Sally K. Ride (2), Mission Specialist 2
David C. Leestma (1), Mission Specialist 3
Marc Garneau (1), Payload Specialist 1
Paul D. Scully-Power (1), Payload Specialist 2

Milestones:
OPF - April 18, 1984
VAB - Sept. 8, 1984
PAD - Sept 13, 1984

Payload:
OSTA-3,ERBS,LFC/ORS,RME(4),TLD,APE,CANEX,IMAX-CAMERA(3)
Mission Objectives:

Launch:
October 5, 1984, 7:03:00 a.m. EDT. Launch proceeded as scheduled with no delays. Launch Weight: 242,780 lbs
Orbit:
Altitude: 218nm
Inclination: 57.0 degrees
Orbits: 133
Duration: Eight days, five hours, 23 minutes, 33 seconds.
Distance: 3,289,444 miles

Hardware:
SRB: BI-013
SRM: 012LW(HPM)
ET : 15/LWT-8
MLP : 1
SSME-1: SN-2023
SSME-2: SN-2020
SSME-3: SN-2021

Landing:
October 13, 1984, 12:26:33 p.m. EDT, Runway 33, Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Rollout distance: 10,633 feet. Rollout time: 59 seconds. Landing Weight: 202,266 lbs.

Mission Highlights:
First flight to include two women, Ride and Sullivan. Sullivan first American woman to walk in space. Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) deployed less than nine hours into flight. Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications-3 (OSTA-3) carried three experiments in payload bay. Components of Orbital Refueling System (ORS) connected, demonstrating it is possible to refuel satellites in orbit. Other Payloads: Large Format Camera (LFC); IMAX Camera, flying for third time; package of Canadian Experiments (CANEX); Auroral Photography Experiment (APE); Radiation Monitoring Equipment (RME); Thermoluminiscent Dosimeter (TLD); and eight Get Away Specials.

STS-41-G Chronology
1984 Oct 5 - STS-41-G Crew: Crippen, Garneau, Leestma, McBride, Ride, Scully-Power, Sullivan. Spacecraft: Challenger. Payload: Challenger F06 / ERBS / LFC / ORS. Mass: 10,643 kg (23,463 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Duration: 8.22 days. Perigee: 350 km (210 mi). Apogee: 390 km (240 mi). Inclination: 51.70 deg. Period: 92.00 min.

Manned seven crew. Deployed ERBS; performed high resolution Earth imagery. Payloads: Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) deployment, Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications (OSTA)-3 experiments, Large Format Camera (LFC). First use of Orbital Refueling System (ORS) with extravehicular activity (EVA) astronauts, IMAX camera.

1984 Oct 11 - EVA STS-41-G-1 Crew: Leestma, Sullivan. EVA Type: Extra-Vehicular Activity. EVA Duration: 0.15 days. Spacecraft: Challenger.

Simulated refuelling of satellite.

1984 Oct 13 - Landing of STS-41-G

STS-41-G landed at 16:11 GMT.

KATHRYN D. SULLIVAN, is a mission specialist in the 41-G mission. Dr. Sullivan was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978, and completed a one year training and evaluation period in August 1979, making her eligible for assignment as a mission specialist. Dr. Sullivan received a bachelor of science degree in Earth Sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 1973, and a doctorate in Geology from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1978. She spent 1971-1972 as an exchange student at the University of I Bergen, Norway, before receiving a bachelor's degree with honors. She commenced her doctoral studies at Dalhousie University ln 1973 and had taken part in a variety of oceanographic expeditions under the auspices of the U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, Wood's Hole Oceanographic Institute, and Bedford Institute. Her research included the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the Newfoundland Basin, and the offshore extent of Southern California faults. She taught second year and first year labs and tutorials during 1973-1975 and worked for Geological Survey of Canada as a research student during the summer of 1975. Her doctoral thesis concerned the structure and evolution of the continental margin and deep seafloor east of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Since joining NASA, her research interests have focused on spaceborne remote sensing and has been involved with several remote sensing projects in Alaska. She is a qualified systems engineer operator in NASA's B-57 high altitude research aircraft. Dr. Sullivan is a member of the Geological Society of America, the American Geophysical Union, the Association of Geoscientists for International Development, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Sierra Club. She is single. Dr. Sullivan was born in Paterson, New Jersey, October 3, 1951, but considers Woodland Hills, California, her hometown. She is 5'6", weighs 150 pounds and has brown hair and green eyes.

PAUL SCULLY-POWER is a payload specialist in the 41 -G mission. He is a civilian oceanographer from the U.S. Navy's Underwater Systems Laboratory in New London, Connecticut. ScullyPower has played a major role in NASA's oceanographic program for more than three years He has participated in briefings before and debriefings after each Space Shuttle flight and has had extensive experience in the analysis of imagery taken not only from the Space Shuttle but also from the Gemini and Skylab programs. The objective of flying an oceanographer with such experience is expected to result in more effective use of the Space Shuttle for ocean related missions. Scully-Power has spent extensive time in oceanographic studies. He has participated in 24 scientific cruises, 13 for which he was Chief Scientist and he is a qualified Navy diver. ScullyPower has published over 60 scientific articles in such fields as oceanography, underwater acoustics, remote sensing applied mathematics, space oceanography marine biology, meteorology and ocean engineering. He is 40 years old.

MARC GARNEAU is a Canadian payload specialist in the 41-G mission. Garneau was chosen from the six-member Canadian Space Team selected in December, 1983 and from February 1984 to the present is in training as a payload specialist. He received a bachelor of engineering in physics from the Royal Military College of Kingston in 1970, and a doctorate in electrical engineering from the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, England, in 1973. Dr. Garneau is a Naval Commander and a combat systems engineer. From 1973 to 1974 he was in training as a combat systems engineer and from 1974 to 1976 he was a combat systems engineer in Her Majesty's Canadian Service in Algonquin. He was an instructor in naval weapon systems at the Canadian Forces Fleet School in Halifax from 1976 to 1977 and was a project engineer in naval weapon systems in Ottawa from 1977 to 1980. Garneau was a weapon systems engineer in Halifax from 1980 to 1982. He attended the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Toronto from 1982 to 1983 and a subsequent assignment as Section Head, Communications and Electronic Warfare in Ottawa from 1983 until his selection as a Canadian payload specialist. Garneau is the recipient of the Athlone Scholar in 1970, and a National Research Council of Canada Bursary in 1972. He is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia and of the Association of Old Crows. He was born February 23,1949 in Quebec City, Canada He is married and has two children. He is 6' in height and weighs 195 pounds. He has dark brown hair and brown eyes.

ROBERT L. CRIPPEN, is the commander for the 41-G mission. He has logged 368 hours and 33 minutes in space. He has logged more than 4,980 hours of flying time-most of it in jetpowered aircraft—as a U.S. Navy pilot and astronaut. A graduate of the University of Texas in aerospace engineering, Crippen entered naval service and was a carrier pilot. He completed the U.S. Air Force's Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards AFB and remained as an instructor until he was selected for the Manned Orbiting Laboratory program in 1966. He transferred to the NASA Astronaut Office in 1969 and was a crew member of the Skylab Medical Experiments Altitude Test—a 56-day simulation of the Skylab mission. He was a member of the support crew for Skylab 2, 3, and 4, and the ASTP mission. He has been awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and Exceptional Service Medal and the JSC Group Achievement Award. Crippen was born in Beaumont, Texas, September 11, 1937, is married and has three children. He is 5'10" in height, weighs 160 pounds, and has brown hair and eyes.

DAVID C. LEESTMA, is a mission specialist in the 41 -G mission. Leestma was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in May 1980, completing a one year training and evaluation period in July 1981, making him eligible for assignment as a mission specialist. Leestma received a bachelor of science in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1971 and a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Post Graduate school in 1972. He was assigned as a first lieutenant on the USS Hepburn in Long Beach, California, before reporting in January 1972 to the U.S. Naval Post Graduate school. He completed flight training and received his naval flight officer's wings in October 1973. He was assigned to VF-124 at San Diego, California, for inertial flight training in the F-14A Tomcat and transferred in June 1974 to Virginia Beach, Virginia. Leestma made three overseas deployments aboard the USS John F. Kennedy to the Mediterranean/North Atlantic areas. In 1977, he was assigned to the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Four at the Naval Air Station, Point Mugu, California, as an operational test director with the F-1 4A. Leestma conducted the first operational testing of tactical software for the F14 and completed follow-on test and evaluation of F-14A avionics and served as fleet model manager for F-14A tactical manual. He has logged 1,200 hours of F-14A flight time, including 300 arrested landings. Leestma is married and has one child. Leestma was born in Muskegon, Michigan, May 6, 1949 but considers Tustin, California, his hometown. He is 5'8", weighs 150 pounds and has blond hair and blue eyes.

JON A. McBRlDE, is the pilot for the 41-G mission. He was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978, and completed a one year training and evaluation period in August 1979, making him eligible for assignment as a pilot. McBride received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval post-graduate school in 1971 . His naval service began in 1965 with flight training at Pensacola, Florida, and after winning his wings as a naval aviator, he was assigned to Fighter Squadron 101 at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, for training in the F-4 Phantom 11 aircraft. He served three years as a fighter pilot and division officer with Fighter Squadron 41 and several tours with Fighter Squadrons 11 and 103. He flew 64 combat missions in Southeast Asia. He then attended the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, California, prior to reporting to the Air Test and Development Squadron Four at Point Mugu, California, where he served as maintenance officer and Sidewinder project officer. McBride has flown over 40 different types of military and civilian aircraft and piloted the Navy "Spirit of 76" bicentennial-painted F-4J Phantom in various air shows in 1976, 1977, and 1978. He holds current FAA ratings which include commercial pilot (multi-engine), instrument, and glider; and he previously served as a certified flight instructor. McBride has logged more than 3,200 hours flying time—including 2,700 hours in jet aircraft. McBride has been awarded three Air Medals, the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, the Vietnamese Service Medal, a Navy Unit Commendation, the National Defense Medal, and a recipient of West Virginia Secretary of State's State Medallion and apointed West Virginia Ambassador of Good Will Among Men, 1980. He is a member of Association of Naval Aviation Tailhook Association and associate member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. McBride was born in Charleston, West Virginia, August 14, 1943, but considers Beckley, West Virginia as his hometown. He is married and has three children. He is 6'2" in height, weighs 205 pounds, and has red hair and

SALLY K. RIDE, is a mission specialist for the 41 -G mission. She was a mission specialist on the 146 hour 25 minute STS-7 flight. She was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1978. Dr. Ride received a bachelor of arts in English from Stanford University in 1973, a bachelor of science, a master of science, and doctorate degrees in Physics in 1973, 1975, and 1978, respectively from Stanford University. Dr. Ride has held teaching assistant and research assignments while a graduate student in the Physics Department at Stanford University. Her research includes one summer with the low-temperature group working in experimental general relabvity and three years in X-ray astrophysics. She was born in Los Angeles, California She was born May 26, 1951 and considers Encino, California her hometown. Dr. Ride is 5'5" in height and weighs 115 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes. She married Astronaut Steve Hawley on July 24, 1982.