This mission carried a classified Department of Defense primary payload as well as two unclassified secondary payloads. Nine unclassified mid-deck experiments were also included, covering a range of studies.!
Front row, left to right: Mission Specialist Guion Bluford Jr., DOB: 11/22/42, Background: Col., USAF. Mission specialist on STS-8, 61-A and STS-39. Education: M.B.A.; Ph.D. in aerospace engineering.
Mission Specialist James Voss, DOB: 3/3/49, Background: Testing engineer at Kennedy Space Center. Mission specialist on STS-44. Education: M.S. in aerospace engineering.
Back row, left to right: Commander David Walker, DOB: 5/20/44, Background: Capt., USN. Pilot of 51-A. Commander of STS-30. Education: B.S. degree.
Pilot Robert Cabana, DOB: 1/23/49, Background: Col., USMC. Pilot of STS-41. Education: B.S. in mathematics.
Mission Specialist Michael (Rich) Clifford, DOB: 10/13/52, Background: Lt. Col., U.S. Army. Johnson Space Center integration engineer. Education: B.S. in basic science; M.S. in aerospace engineering.!
2 December 1992 8:24 a.m. EST
Launch delayed 1 hour and 25 minutes because of ice buildup on the external tank. !
9 December 1992 3:43 p.m. EST
at Edwards AFB, CA
Mission Duration: 7 days, 7 hours, 19 minutes, 17 seconds. Landing was diverted from KSC because of cloud cover.!
