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Lockheed Space Operations Company STS-51-F Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099

Launch Status
Success

Rocket Launch Video Stream

Meet the Astronaut Crew

NASA Astronaut C. Gordon Fullerton, STS-51-F Commander

C. Gordon Fullerton

  • Birthday: 10/11/1936
  • Role: Commander
  • Nationality: United States of America
  • First Flight: 03/22/1982
  • Last Flight: 07/29/1985

Charles Gordon Fullerton was a United States Air Force colonel, a USAF and NASA astronaut, and a research pilot at NASA's Dry...

NASA Astronaut Roy D. Bridges Jr., STS-51-F Pilot

Roy D. Bridges Jr.

  • Birthday: 07/19/1943
  • Role: Pilot
  • Nationality: United States of America
  • First Flight: 07/29/1985
  • Last Flight: 07/29/1985

Roy Dubard Bridges Jr. is an American pilot, engineer, retired United States Air Force officer, test pilot, former NASA astro...

NASA Astronaut Anthony W. England, STS-51-F Mission Specialist

Anthony W. England

  • Birthday: 05/15/1942
  • Role: Mission Specialist
  • Nationality: United States of America
  • First Flight: 07/29/1985
  • Last Flight: 07/29/1985

Anthony Wayne England better known as Tony England, is an American, former NASA astronaut. Selected in 1967, England was amon...

US Navy Astronaut John-David F. Bartoe, STS-51-F Payload Specialist

John-David F. Bartoe

  • Birthday: 11/17/1944
  • Role: Payload Specialist
  • Nationality: United States of America
  • First Flight: 07/29/1985
  • Last Flight: 07/29/1985

John-David Francis Bartoe (born November 17, 1944 in Abington, Pennsylvania) is an American astrophysicist. He is the Researc...

NASA Astronaut Karl Henize, STS-51-F Mission Specialist

Karl Henize

  • Birthday: 10/17/1926
  • Role: Mission Specialist
  • Nationality: United States of America
  • First Flight: 07/29/1985
  • Last Flight: 07/29/1985

Karl Gordon Henize, Ph.D. was an American astronomer, space scientist, NASA astronaut, and professor at Northwestern Universi...

Lockheed Martin Astronaut Loren Acton, STS-51-F Payload Specialist

Loren Acton

  • Birthday: 03/07/1936
  • Role: Payload Specialist
  • Nationality: United States of America
  • First Flight: 07/29/1985
  • Last Flight: 07/29/1985

Loren Wilber Acton (born March 7, 1936) is an American physicist who flew on Space Shuttle mission STS-51-F as a Payload Spec...

NASA Astronaut Story Musgrave, STS-51-F Mission Specialist

Story Musgrave

  • Birthday: 08/19/1935
  • Role: Mission Specialist
  • Nationality: United States of America
  • First Flight: 04/04/1983
  • Last Flight: 11/19/1996

Franklin Story Musgrave, M.D. is an American physician and a retired NASA astronaut. He is a public speaker[2] and consultant...

About the STS-51-F Mission

  • Orbit: Low Earth Orbit
  • Launch Cost: $450,000,000

STS-51-F was the nineteenth flight of the shuttle program and the eighth flight of Space Shuttle Challenger. It flew in orbit for 8 days performing science in Spacelab 2.

Launch Pad & Location

Launch Complex 39A

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

The Launch Complex 39A launch pad has hosted 222 rocket launches, including 221 orbital launch attempts. The Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA launch site has been the location for 281 total rocket launches.

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).

Find the best place to watch the launch from Florida

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 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.

Learn more about the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Space Shuttle Rocket

About Lockheed Space Operations Company

Learn more about Lockheed Space Operations Company

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-51-F launch scheduled?

The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-51-F launch was scheduled for:
.

Where can I watch the Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-51-F launch video?

You can watch the Lockheed Space Operations Company 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 Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-51-F mission launch from?

The Lockheed Space Operations Company 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-51-F mission?

The STS-51-F mission launched aboard a Lockheed Space Operations Company 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 Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-51-F launch?

The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-51-F 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 Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-51-F launch was delayed?

This page was updated in real-time with the latest Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle launch status, including any delays or scrubs for the STS-51-F 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 Lockheed Space Operations Company live streams provided the most immediate range updates during the launch window.

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