Lockheed Space Operations Company STS-51-L Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099
Rocket Launch Video Stream
Meet the Astronaut Crew
Dick Scobee
| Birthday | 05/19/1939 |
|---|---|
| Role | Commander |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 04/06/1984 |
| Last Flight | 01/28/1986 |
Francis Richard Scobee was an American pilot and astronaut. He was killed commanding the Space Shuttle Challenger, which suffered catastrophic booster failure during launch of...
Michael J. Smith
| Birthday | 04/30/1945 |
|---|---|
| Role | Pilot |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 01/28/1986 |
| Last Flight | 01/28/1986 |
Michael John Smith was an American astronaut—pilot of the Space Shuttle Challenger when it was destroyed during the STS-51-L mission. All seven crew members died.
Christa McAuliffe
| Birthday | 09/02/1948 |
|---|---|
| Role | Payload Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 01/28/1986 |
| Last Flight | 01/28/1986 |
Sharon Christa McAuliffe (born Sharon Christa Corrigan; September 2, 1948 – January 28, 1986) was an American teacher and astronaut from Concord, New Hampshire and...
Gregory Jarvis
| Birthday | 08/24/1944 |
|---|---|
| Role | Payload Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 01/28/1986 |
| Last Flight | 01/28/1986 |
Gregory Bruce Jarvis (August 24, 1944 – January 28, 1986) was an American engineer who died during the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger on...
Ellison Onizuka
| Birthday | 06/24/1946 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 01/24/1985 |
| Last Flight | 01/28/1986 |
Ellison Shoji Onizuka (鬼塚 承次 Onizuka Shōji) was an American astronaut from Kealakekua, Hawaii, who successfully flew into space with the Space Shuttle Discovery on...
Judith Resnik
| Birthday | 04/05/1949 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 08/30/1984 |
| Last Flight | 01/28/1986 |
Judith Arlene Resnik was an American electrical engineer, software engineer, biomedical engineer, pilot and NASA astronaut, who died when the Space Shuttle Challenger was destroyed...
Ronald McNair
| Birthday | 10/21/1950 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 02/03/1984 |
| Last Flight | 01/28/1986 |
Ronald Erwin McNair was an American physicist and NASA astronaut. He died during the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-51-L, in which...
About the STS-51-L Mission
| Type | Human Exploration |
|---|---|
| Orbit | Low Earth Orbit |
| Launch Cost | $450,000,000 |
The tenth mission for Challenger, STS-51-L was scheduled to deploy the second in a series of Tracking and Data Relay Satellites, carry out the first flight of the Shuttle-Pointed Tool for Astronomy (SPARTAN-203) / Halley's Comet Experiment Deployable in order to observe Halley's Comet, and carry out several lessons from space as part of the Teacher in Space Project and Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP).
During the ascent phase, 73 seconds after liftoff, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic structural failure resulting in the loss of crew and vehicle. The Rogers Commission later determined the cause of the accident to have been the failure of the primary and secondary (backup) O-ring seals on Challenger's right Solid Rocket Booster.
Launch Pad & Location
Launch Complex 39B
Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
| Launches | 59 |
|---|---|
| Orbital Launch Attempts | 58 |
| 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 Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger (OV-099) 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 Low Earth Orbit.
Space Shuttle Challenger (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-099) was the second orbiter of NASA's space shuttle program to be put into service, after Columbia. Challenger was built by Rockwell International's Space Transportation Systems Division, in Downey, California. Its maiden flight, STS-6, began on April 4, 1983. The orbiter was launched and landed nine times before breaking apart 73 seconds into its tenth mission, STS-51-L, on January 28, 1986, resulting in the death of all seven crew members, including a civilian school teacher. It was the first of two shuttles to be destroyed in flight, the other being Columbia, in 2003. The accident led to a two-and-a-half-year grounding of the shuttle fleet; flights resumed in 1988, with STS-26 flown by Discovery. Challenger was replaced by Endeavour, which was built from structural spares ordered by NASA in the construction contracts for Discovery and Atlantis. 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-099 |
| Status | Destroyed |
| Destination | Low Earth Orbit |
| Maiden Flight | 4/12/1981 |
| Mission End | 1/28/1986 |
| Flights | 10 |
| Crew Capacity | 7 |
| Human Rated | Yes |
| Height | 56.1 m |
| Diameter | 8.7 m |
| Payload Capacity | 27,500 kg |
About Lockheed Space Operations Company
| Total Launches | 65 |
|---|---|
| Successful | 64 |
| Failed | 1 |
| Consecutive Success | 49 |
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-51-L launch scheduled?
The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-51-L launch was scheduled for:
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Where can I watch the Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-51-L 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-L mission launch from?
The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle rocket launched from Launch Complex 39B 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-L mission?
The STS-51-L 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-L launch?
The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-51-L 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-L 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-L 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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