STS-61-H
Encyclopedia
STS-61-H was a United States Space Shuttle
mission planned to launch in 1986 using Columbia
, however, it was cancelled after the Challenger disaster
. The flight was scheduled to take place 24 June through 1 July.
, Palapa B3 and Westar
6S. The British Skynet and the Indonesia
n Palapa were supposed to be accompanied by an astronaut from the two countries.
After the Challenger disaster
the deployment of commercial satellites by the Space Shuttle
was stopped, also for several years no international astronauts were nominated anymore. Thus neither the British nor the Indonesian payload specialists got a second chance for a spaceflight. The NASA
crew however stayed together and finally flew on STS-29
, only Anna Fisher was replaced by James Bagian on that flight.
Skynet 4A was launched on 1 January 1990 with a Titan III
, Westar 6S was renamed Galaxy 6 and launched on 12 October 1992 by an Ariane 44L
. Palapa B3 was renamed to Palapa B2P and was launched on 20 March 1987 with a Delta-3920
.
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
mission planned to launch in 1986 using Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
, however, it was cancelled after the Challenger disaster
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida at 11:38 am EST...
. The flight was scheduled to take place 24 June through 1 July.
Crew
- Commander: Michael L. Coats
- Pilot: John Blaha
- Mission Specialist 1: Anna L. Fisher
- Mission Specialist 2: James F. Buchli
- Mission Specialist 3: Robert C. SpringerRobert C. SpringerRobert Clyde "Bob" Springer is a retired American astronaut and test pilot who flew as a mission specialist on two NASA space shuttle missions in 1989–90. A decorated aviator in the U.S. Marine Corps, Springer also flew more than 500 combat sorties during the Vietnam War...
- Payload Specialist 1: Nigel Wood (United Kingdom)
- Payload Specialist 2: Pratiwi SudarmonoPratiwi SudarmonoPratiwi Pujilestari Sudarmono is an Indonesian scientist. She is currently professor of microbiology at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta....
(Indonesia)
Backup crew
- Payload Specialist 1: Richard FarrimondRichard FarrimondRichard Alfred Farrimond is a British engineer, former army officer and astronaut candidate.Born in Birkenhead , he was educated Clifton College. He studied at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and received a BS in telecommunications at the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham in 1972...
(United Kingdom) - Payload Specialist 2: Taufik AkbarTaufik AkbarTaufik Akbar is an Indonesian engineer and former astronaut candidate.After graduating at the Bandung Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1975, he worked as a telecommunications engineer...
(Indonesia)
Mission objectives
The main task of the mission was to bring three commercial satellites into orbit – Skynet 4ASkynet (satellites)
Skynet is a family of military satellites, now operated by Paradigm Secure Communications on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence, which provide strategic communication services to the three branches of the British Armed Forces and to NATO forces engaged on coalition tasks.-Skynet 1:There were two...
, Palapa B3 and Westar
Westar
Westar was the name for the fleet of geosynchronous communications satellites operating in the C band which were launched by Western Union from 1974 to 1984. There were seven Westar satellites in all, with five of them launched and operating under the Westar name.In many international recognized...
6S. The British Skynet and the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n Palapa were supposed to be accompanied by an astronaut from the two countries.
After the Challenger disaster
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida at 11:38 am EST...
the deployment of commercial satellites by the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
was stopped, also for several years no international astronauts were nominated anymore. Thus neither the British nor the Indonesian payload specialists got a second chance for a spaceflight. The NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
crew however stayed together and finally flew on STS-29
STS-29
-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter liftoff: **Orbiter landing: **Payload: *Perigee: *Apogee: *Inclination: 28.5°*Period: 90.6 min-Mission summary:Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off from Pad B, Launch...
, only Anna Fisher was replaced by James Bagian on that flight.
Skynet 4A was launched on 1 January 1990 with a Titan III
Titan III
The Titan IIIC was a space booster used by the United States Air Force. It was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL., and Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. It was planned to be used as a launch vehicle in the cancelled Dyna-Soar and Manned Orbiting Laboratory programs...
, Westar 6S was renamed Galaxy 6 and launched on 12 October 1992 by an Ariane 44L
Ariane 4
Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it...
. Palapa B3 was renamed to Palapa B2P and was launched on 20 March 1987 with a Delta-3920
Delta rocket
Delta is a versatile family of expendable launch systems that has provided space launch capability in the United States since 1960. There have been more than 300 Delta rockets launched, with a 95 percent success rate. Two Delta launch systems – Delta II and Delta IV – are in active use...
.
External links
- http://www.mach25.nl/~jacques/shuttle/STS61H.html