United Space Alliance STS-79 Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104
Rocket Launch Video Stream
Meet the Astronaut Crew
William F. Readdy
| Birthday | 01/24/1952 |
|---|---|
| Role | Commander |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 01/22/1992 |
| Last Flight | 09/16/1996 |
William Francis Readdy is a former Associate Administrator of the Office of Space Flight, at NASA Headquarters. He graduated from McLean High School, McLean, Virginia,...
Terrence W. Wilcutt
| Birthday | 10/31/1949 |
|---|---|
| Role | Pilot |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 09/30/1994 |
| Last Flight | 09/08/2000 |
Terrence Wade Wilcutt is a United States Marine Corps officer and a NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of four Space Shuttle missions. Wilcutt is...
Carl E. Walz
| Birthday | 09/06/1955 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 09/12/1993 |
| Last Flight | 12/05/2001 |
Carl Erwin Walz is a former NASA astronaut currently working for Orbital Sciences Corporation's Advanced Programs Group as Vice President for Human Space Flight Operations....
Jerome Apt
| Birthday | 04/28/1949 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 04/05/1991 |
| Last Flight | 09/16/1996 |
Jerome "Jay" Apt III, Ph.D. (born April 28, 1949 in Massachusetts) is an American astronaut and professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Before he became an...
Thomas Akers
| Birthday | 05/20/1951 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 10/06/1990 |
| Last Flight | 09/16/1996 |
Thomas Dale Akers is a former American astronaut in NASA's Space Shuttle program.
John E. Blaha
| Birthday | 08/26/1942 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 03/13/1989 |
| Last Flight | 09/16/1996 |
John Elmer Blaha is a retired United States Air Force colonel and a former NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of five space missions aboard...
About the STS-79 Mission
| Type | Human Exploration |
|---|---|
| Orbit | Low Earth Orbit |
| Launch Cost | $450,000,000 |
STS-79 was the 17th flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis, and the 79th mission of the Space Shuttle program. The flight saw Atlantis dock with the Russian space station Mir to deliver equipment, supplies and relief personnel. A variety of scientific experiments were also conducted aboard Atlantis by her crew. It was the first shuttle mission to rendezvous with a fully assembled Mir, and the fourth rendezvous of a shuttle to the space station.
Launch Pad & Location
Launch Complex 39A
Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
| Launches | 224 |
|---|---|
| Orbital Launch Attempts | 223 |
| Total Launches | 283 |
The John F. Kennedy Space Center, located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of NASA's ten field centers. Since 1968, KSC has been NASA's primary launch center of American spaceflight, research, and technology. Launch operations for the Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs were carried out from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 and managed by KSC. Located on the east coast of Florida, KSC is adjacent to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).
NASA Space Shuttle Rocket
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program name was Space Transportation System (STS). Five complete Space Shuttle orbiter vehicles were built and flown on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011.
| Length | 56.1 m |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 8.0 m |
| Stages | 2 |
| Launch Mass | 2,030.0 T |
| Takeoff Thrust | 28,200.0 kN |
| LEO Capacity | 27,500 kg |
| Launch Cost | $450,000,000 |
| Maiden Flight | 4/12/1981 |
Mission Spacecraft
Space Shuttle Atlantis
Space Shuttle Atlantis (OV-104) was the spacecraft used for this mission. It is a NASA Spaceplane designed for Carrying a crew of 7 astronauts along with cargo to Low Earth Orbit. and traveled to Mir.
Space Shuttle Atlantis (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV‑104) is a Space Shuttle orbiter vehicle belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States. Constructed by the Rockwell International company in Southern California and delivered to the Kennedy Space Center in Eastern Florida in April 1985, Atlantis is the fourth operational and the second-to-last Space Shuttle built. Its maiden flight was STS-51-J from 3 to 7 October 1985. Atlantis embarked on its 33rd and final mission, also the final mission of a space shuttle, STS-135, on 8 July 2011. STS-134 by Endeavour was expected to be the final flight before STS-135 was authorized in October 2010. STS-135 took advantage of the processing for the STS-335 Launch On Need mission that would have been necessary if STS-134's crew became stranded in orbit. Atlantis landed for the final time at the Kennedy Space Center on 21 July 2011. By the end of its final mission, Atlantis had orbited the Earth a total of 4,848 times, traveling nearly 126,000,000 mi (203,000,000 km) or more than 525 times the distance from the Earth to the Moon. The Space Shuttle was a partially reusable LEO spacecraft system operated by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program name was Space Transportation System (STS), taken from a 1969 plan for a system of reusable spacecraft of which it was the only item funded for development. The first of four orbital test flights occurred in 1981, leading to operational flights in 1982. In addition to the prototype whose completion was cancelled, five complete Shuttle systems were built and used on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011, launched from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Operational missions launched numerous satellites, interplanetary probes, and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST); conducted science experiments in orbit; and participated in construction and servicing of the International Space Station. The Shuttle fleet's total mission time was 1322 days, 19 hours, 21 minutes and 23 seconds. 14 days
| Type | Spaceplane |
|---|---|
| Agency | NASA |
| Serial Number | OV-104 |
| Status | Retired |
| Destination | Mir |
| Maiden Flight | 4/12/1981 |
| Mission End | 9/26/1996 |
| Flights | 33 |
| Crew Capacity | 7 |
| Human Rated | Yes |
| Height | 56.1 m |
| Diameter | 8.7 m |
| Payload Capacity | 27,500 kg |
About United Space Alliance
United Space Alliance (USA) is a spaceflight operations company. USA is a joint venture which was established in August 1995 as a Limited Liability Company (LLC), equally owned by Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
| Total Launches | 51 |
|---|---|
| Successful | 50 |
| Failed | 1 |
| Consecutive Success | 22 |
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-79 launch scheduled?
The United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-79 launch was scheduled for:
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Where can I watch the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-79 launch video?
You can watch the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle launch video on this page. The official video includes full mission coverage with multiple camera angles, onboard views, and expert commentary covering pre-launch procedures, liftoff, stage separation, and payload deployment.
Where did the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-79 mission launch from?
The United Space Alliance Space Shuttle rocket launched from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA. The John F. Kennedy Space Center, located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of NASA's ten field centers. Since 1968, KSC has been NASA's primary launch center of American spaceflight, research, and technology. Launch operations for the Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs were carried out from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 and managed by KSC. Located on the east coast of Florida, KSC is adjacent to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).
What rocket was used for the STS-79 mission?
The STS-79 mission launched aboard a United Space Alliance Space Shuttle rocket. The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program name was Space Transportation System (STS). Five complete Space Shuttle orbiter vehicles were built and flown on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. Detailed rocket specifications and performance data are available in the rocket details above.
What weather conditions could have delayed the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-79 launch?
The United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-79 launch could have been delayed by various weather conditions including lightning within 10 nautical miles, high winds (especially upper-level winds), thick cloud layers, precipitation, and poor visibility. Weather must be favorable at the launch site, downrange landing zones, and abort landing sites.
How can I get updates if the United Space Alliance Space Shuttle STS-79 launch was delayed?
This page was updated in real-time with the latest United Space Alliance Space Shuttle launch status, including any delays or scrubs for the STS-79 mission. You can also check our space launch schedule for historical launch information. Our mobile app provides push notifications for instant alerts about launch status changes. Official United Space Alliance live streams provided the most immediate range updates during the launch window.
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