This was the seventh mission totally dedicated to the Department of Defense. Mission objectives and payloads were classified.!
Front row, left to right: Pilot Frank Culbertson Jr., DOB: 5/15/49, Background: Capt., USN. Selected in 1984. Education: B.S. in aerospace engineering.
Commander Richard Covey, DOB: 8/1/46, Background: Col. USAF. Pilot on 51-I and STS-26. Education: B.S. in engineering sciences; M.S. in aeronautics and astronautics.
Back row, left to right: Mission Specialist Charles (Sam) Gemar, DOB: 8/4/55, Background: Lt. Col., U.S.Army. Mission specialist on STS-48. Education: B.S. in engineering.
Mission Specialist Robert Springer, DOB: 5/21/42, Background: Col., USMC. Worked in Mission Control Center as CAPCOM. Became an astronaut in 1980. Mission specialist on STS-22. Education: B.S. degree in naval science; M.S. in operations research and systems analysis.
Mission Specialist Carl Meade, DOB: 11/16/50, Background: Col., USAF. Selected in 1985. Mission specialist on STS-50. Education: M.S. in electronics engineering.!
15 November 1990 6:48 p.m. EST
Launch was originally scheduled for July 1990 but due to a variety of mechanical problems during testing and transporting to the pad, launch was moved to 9 November. It was again reset to 15 November due to payload problems.!
