STS-51-D
Discovery attempts to activate the Syncom IV-3 satellite via a "flyswatter" device attached to the RMS
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| Mission type | Satellite deployment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | NASA | ||||
| COSPAR ID | 1985-028A | ||||
| SATCAT № | 15641 | ||||
| Mission duration | 6 days, 23 hours, 55 minutes, 23 seconds | ||||
| Distance travelled | 4,650,658 kilometres (2,889,785 mi) | ||||
| Orbits completed | 110 | ||||
| Spacecraft properties | |||||
| Spacecraft | Space Shuttle Discovery | ||||
| Launch mass | 113,802 kilograms (250,891 lb) | ||||
| Landing mass | 89,818 kilograms (198,014 lb) | ||||
| Payload mass | 13,039 kilograms (28,747 lb) | ||||
| Crew | |||||
| Crew size | 7 | ||||
| Members |
Karol J. Bobko Donald E. Williams M. Rhea Seddon S. David Griggs Jeffrey A. Hoffman Charles D. Walker Edwin J. Garn |
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| EVAs | 1 | ||||
| EVA duration | 3 hours, 6 minutes | ||||
| Start of mission | |||||
| Launch date | April 12, 1985, 13:59:05 UTC | ||||
| Launch site | Kennedy LC-39A | ||||
| End of mission | |||||
| Landing date | April 19, 1985, 13:54:28 UTC | ||||
| Landing site | Kennedy SLF Runway 33 | ||||
| Orbital parameters | |||||
| Reference system | Geocentric | ||||
| Regime | Low Earth | ||||
| Perigee | 300 kilometres (160 nmi) | ||||
| Apogee | 452 kilometres (244 nmi) | ||||
| Inclination | 28.5 degrees | ||||
| Period | 94.4 minutes | ||||
| Epoch | April 14, 1985 | ||||
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Back row L-R: Griggs, Walker, Garn
Front row: L-R: Bobko, Williams, Seddon, Hoffman.
STS-51-D was the sixteenth flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program, and the fourth flight of Space Shuttle Discovery. The launch of STS-51-D from Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, on April 12, 1985 was delayed by 55 minutes, after a boat strayed into the restricted Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) recovery zone. STS-51-D was the third shuttle mission to be extended.
On April 19, after a week-long flight, Discovery conducted the fifth shuttle landing at KSC. The shuttle suffered extensive brake damage and a ruptured tire during landing. This forced all subsequent shuttle landings to be done at Edwards Air Force Base, California, until the development and implementation of nose wheel steering made landings at KSC more feasible.
During STS-51-D, the shuttle crew deployed two communications satellites: Telesat-I (Anik C1) and Syncom IV-3 (also known as Leasat-3). Telesat-I was attached to a Payload Assist Module (PAM-D) motor and successfully deployed. Syncom IV-3, however, failed to initiate antenna deployment and spin-up, or ignite its perigee kick motor upon deployment. The mission was consequently extended by two days to ensure that the satellite's spacecraft sequencer start lever was in its proper position. Griggs and Hoffman performed an unscheduled EVA to attach homemade "Flyswatter" devices to the shuttle's Remote Manipulator System (RMS). Seddon then engaged the satellite's start lever using the RMS, but again the post-deployment sequence did not begin.
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