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 Experiments in Challenger's payload bay | |
| Names | Space Transportation System-19 Spacelab 2 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Astronomical observations |
| Operator | NASA |
| COSPAR ID | 1985-063A |
| SATCAT no. | 15925 |
| Mission duration | 7 days, 22 hours, 45 minutes, 26 seconds |
| Distance travelled | 5,284,350 km (3,283,540 mi) |
| Orbits completed | 127 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Space Shuttle Challenger |
| Launch mass | 114,693 kg (252,855 lb) |
| Landing mass | 98,309 kg (216,734 lb) |
| Payload mass | 16,309 kg (35,955 lb) |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 7 |
| Members | |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | July 29, 1985, 21:00:00 UTC (5:00 pm EDT) |
| Launch site | Kennedy, LC-39A |
| Contractor | Rockwell International |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | August 6, 1985, 19:45:26 UTC (12:45:26 pm PDT) |
| Landing site | Edwards, Runway 23 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 312 km (194 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 320 km (200 mi) |
| Inclination | 49.49° |
| Period | 90.90 minutes |
| Instruments | |
| |
 STS-51-F mission patch  Front row (seated): C. Gordon Fullerton, Roy D. Bridges Jr. Back row (standing): Anthony W. England, Karl G. Henize, F. Story Musgrave, Loren W. Acton, John-David F. Bartoe | |
STS-51-F (also known as Spacelab 2) was the 19th flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program and the eighth flight of Space Shuttle Challenger. It launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on July 29, 1985, and landed eight days later on August 6, 1985.
While STS-51-F's primary payload was the Spacelab 2 laboratory module, the payload that received the most publicity was the Carbonated Beverage Dispenser Evaluation, which was an experiment in which both Coca-Cola and Pepsi tried to make their carbonated drinks available to astronauts.[1] A helium-cooled infrared telescope (IRT) was also flown on this mission, and while it did have some problems, it observed 60% of the galactic plane in infrared light.[2][3]
During launch, Challenger experienced multiple sensor failures in its Engine 1 Center SSME engine, which led to it shutting down and the shuttle had to perform an "Abort to Orbit" (ATO) emergency procedure. It is the only Shuttle mission to have carried out an abort after launching. As a result of the ATO, the mission was carried out at a slightly lower orbital altitude.
- ^ "9 Weird Things That Flew on NASA's Space Shuttles - Final Shuttle Missions and NASA's Space Shuttle Souvenirs - NASA Shuttle Program". Space.com. July 7, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
- ^ "Archived copy of Infrared Astronomy From Earth Orbit". Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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