-
STS-51B
The main mission objective with Spacelab-3 was to provide a high quality microgravity environment for delicate materials processing and fluid experiments. Two monkeys and 24 rodents were observed for the effects of weightlessness. Of the 15 Spacelab primary experiments conducted, 14 were considered successful. -
STS-51-L Challenger Disaster
Seven asrtonauts passed away in a tragic explosion. The spacecraft blew up on 73 seconds in after take off.There was a leak in one of the rocket boosters. The astronauts were Commander Francis R. Scobee, Pilot Michael J. Smith, Mission Specialists Judith A. Resnik, Ellison S. Onizuka, Ronald E. McNair and Payload Specialists Gregory B. Jarvis and Sharon Christa McAuliffe. -
STS-103
The first few days of the 8-day mission, the crew prepared for the rendezvous and capture of the Hubble Space Telescope and the three maintenance spacewalks to follow. After a 30-orbit chase Commander Brown and Kelly maneuvered the orbiter to a point directly beneath Hubble, then moved upward toward it.Commander Curtis L. Brown, Pilot Scott J. Kelly, Mission Specialists Steven L. Smith, C. Michael Foale, John M. Grunsfield, Claude Nicollier and Jean-Francois Clervoy. -
STS-105
The crews tested nitrogen and oxygen lines for use on future shuttle missions and installed valves to connect Quest to the ISS environmental control system.They also installed a computer to run the airlock's systems.Air bubbles in a coolant line caused a water spill -- cleanup caused a task to be postponed to another day.Crew was Commander Steven Lindsey, Pilot Charles Hobaugh, Mission Specialists Michael Gernhardt, James Reilly and Janet Kavandi. -
STS-114
STS-114 was the first Return to Flight mission since the tragic loss of Columbia Feb. 1, 2003. Two and a half years were spent researching and implementing safety improvements for orbiters and external tanks.Commander Eileen Collins, Pilot James Kelly, Mission Specialists Charles Camarda, Wendy Lawrence, Soichi Noguchi, Stephen Robinson and Andrew Thomas.
