Lockheed Space Operations Company STS-61-A Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099
Rocket Launch Video Stream
Meet the Astronaut Crew
Henry 'Hank' Hartsfield
- Birthday: 11/21/1933
- Role: Commander
- Nationality: United States of America
- First Flight: 06/27/1982
- Last Flight: 10/30/1985
Henry Warren "Hank" Hartsfield Jr. was a United States Air Force officer and a USAF and NASA astronaut who logged o...
Steven R. Nagel
- Birthday: 10/27/1946
- Role: Pilot
- Nationality: United States of America
- First Flight: 06/17/1985
- Last Flight: 04/26/1993
Steven Ray Nagel was an American astronaut, aeronautical and mechanical engineer, test pilot, and a United States Air Force p...
Ernst Messerschmid
- Birthday: 05/21/1945
- Role: Payload Specialist
- Nationality: Germany
- First Flight: 10/30/1985
- Last Flight: 10/30/1985
Ernst Willi Messerschmid (born May 21, 1945) is a German physicist and former astronaut.
From 1978 to 1982, he worked...
Reinhard Furrer
- Birthday: 11/25/1940
- Role: Payload Specialist
- Nationality: Germany
- First Flight: 10/30/1985
- Last Flight: 10/30/1985
Prof. Dr. Reinhard Alfred Furrer (25 November 1940 – 9 September 1995) was a German physicist and astronaut.
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Wubbo Ockels
- Birthday: 03/28/1946
- Role: Payload Specialist
- Nationality: Netherlands
- First Flight: 10/30/1985
- Last Flight: 10/30/1985
Dr Wubbo Johannes Ockels (28 March 1946 – 18 May 2014) was a Dutch physicist and an astronaut of the European Space Agency ...
Guion Bluford
- Birthday: 11/22/1942
- Role: Mission Specialist
- Nationality: United States of America
- First Flight: 08/30/1983
- Last Flight: 12/02/1992
Guion Stewart Bluford Jr., Ph.D. is an American aerospace engineer, retired U.S. Air Force officer and fighter pilot, and for...
James Buchli
- Birthday: 06/20/1945
- Role: Mission Specialist
- Nationality: United States of America
- First Flight: 01/24/1985
- Last Flight: 09/12/1991
James Frederick Buchli is a retired United States Marine aviator and former NASA astronaut who flew on four Space Shuttle mis...
Bonnie J. Dunbar
- Birthday: 03/03/1949
- Role: Mission Specialist
- Nationality: United States of America
- First Flight: 10/30/1985
- Last Flight: 01/23/1998
Bonnie Jeanne Dunbar is a former NASA astronaut. She retired from NASA in September 2005 then served as president and CEO of ...
About the STS-61-A Mission
- Orbit: Low Earth Orbit
- Launch Cost: $450,000,000
STS-61-A was the twenty-second space shuttle flight and ninth for Space Shuttle Challenger. It was a scientific spacelab mission funded entirely by West Germany. The payload operations were controlled from the German Space Operations Center as opposed to the regular NASA centers.
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).
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
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-61-A launch scheduled?
The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-61-A launch was scheduled for:
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Where can I watch the Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-61-A 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-61-A 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-61-A mission?
The STS-61-A 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-61-A launch?
The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-61-A 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-61-A 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-61-A 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.