This was the first direct ascent trajectory for the Space Shuttle. Satellite repair and deployment were conducted, including the deployment of a facility carrying 57 experiments. Other payloads included Radiation Monitoring Equipment and student experiments.!
Left to right: Commander Robert Crippen, DOB: 9/11/37, Background: Capt., USN. Pilot on STS-1 and Commander on STS-7 and 41-G. Education: B.S. in aerospace engineering.
Mission Specialist George (Pinky) Nelson, DOB: 7/13/50, Background: Mission specialist on 61-C and STS-26. Education: B.S. in physics; Ph.D. in astronomy.
Pilot Francis (Dick) Scobee, DOB: 5/19/39, Background: Major, USAF. Commanded and perished in flight 51-L accident. Education: B.S. in aerospace engineering.
Mission Specialist James van Hoften, DOB: 6/11/44, Background: Naval aviator and professor. Mission specialist on 51-I. Education: B.S. in civil engineering; M.S. in hydraulic engineering; Ph.D. in fluid mechanics.
Mission Specialist Terry Hart, DOB: 10/27/46, Background: Air Force pilot. Education: M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering; honorary doctorate of engineering.!
6 April 1984 8:58 a.m. EST
Launch proceeded as scheduled with no delays.!
13 April 1984 5:38 a.m. PST
at Edwards AFB, CA
Mission Duration: 6 days, 23 hours, 40 minutes, 7 seconds. Completed 107 orbits. Mission was extended one day when astronauts were unable to grapple Solar Maximum Mission spacecraft. Planned landing at KSC was scrubbed.!
