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Lockheed Space Operations Company STS-55 Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102

Launch Status
Success

Rocket Launch Video Stream

Meet the Astronaut Crew

NASA Astronaut Steven R. Nagel, STS-55 Commander

Steven R. Nagel

Astronaut details for Steven R. Nagel
Birthday10/27/1946
RoleCommander
NationalityUnited States of America
First Flight06/17/1985
Last Flight04/26/1993

Steven Ray Nagel was an American astronaut, aeronautical and mechanical engineer, test pilot, and a United States Air Force pilot.

NASA Astronaut Terence Henricks, STS-55 Pilot

Terence Henricks

Astronaut details for Terence Henricks
Birthday07/05/1952
RolePilot
NationalityUnited States of America
First Flight11/24/1991
Last Flight06/20/1996

Terence Thomas "Tom" Henricks is a retired colonel in the United States Air Force and a former NASA astronaut. Selected by NASA in June 1985,...

German Aerospace Center Astronaut Ulrich Walter, STS-55 Payload Specialist

Ulrich Walter

Astronaut details for Ulrich Walter
Birthday02/09/1954
RolePayload Specialist
NationalityGermany
First Flight04/26/1993
Last Flight04/26/1993

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hans Walter (born February 9, 1954) is a German physicist/engineer and a former DFVLR astronaut. In 1993, he flew on board the...

NASA Astronaut Bernard Harris, STS-55 Mission Specialist

Bernard Harris

Astronaut details for Bernard Harris
Birthday06/26/1956
RoleMission Specialist
NationalityUnited States of America
First Flight04/26/1993
Last Flight02/03/1995

Bernard Anthony Harris Jr. is a former NASA astronaut. On February 9, 1995, Harris became the first African American to perform an extra-vehicular activity (spacewalk),...

ESA Astronaut Hans Schlegel, STS-55 Payload Specialist

Hans Schlegel

Astronaut details for Hans Schlegel
Birthday08/03/1951
RolePayload Specialist
NationalityGermany
First Flight04/26/1993
Last Flight02/07/2008

Hans Wilhelm Schlegel (Überlingen, 3 August 1951) is a German physicist, an ESA astronaut, and a veteran of two NASA Space Shuttle missions. From 1995...

NASA Astronaut Charles J. Precourt, STS-55 Mission Specialist

Charles J. Precourt

Astronaut details for Charles J. Precourt
Birthday06/29/1955
RoleMission Specialist
NationalityUnited States of America
First Flight04/26/1993
Last Flight06/02/1998

Charles Joseph Precourt is a retired NASA astronaut. His career in flight began at an early age, and spans his entire lifetime. He served in...

NASA Astronaut Jerry L. Ross, STS-55 Mission Specialist

Jerry L. Ross

Astronaut details for Jerry L. Ross
Birthday01/20/1948
RoleMission Specialist
NationalityUnited States of America
First Flight11/27/1985
Last Flight04/08/2002

Jerry Lynn Ross is a retired United States Air Force officer and a former NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of seven Space Shuttle missions,...

About the STS-55 Mission

Mission details for STS-55
OrbitLow Earth Orbit
Launch Cost$450,000,000

STS-55 (Space Transportation System 55), or D-2 was the 55th overall flight of the US Space Shuttle and the 14th flight of Shuttle Columbia. This flight was a multinational Spacelab flight involving 88 experiments from eleven different nations. The experiments ranged from biology sciences to simple earth observations.

Launch Pad & Location

Launch Complex 39A

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Launch statistics for Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
Launches224
Orbital Launch Attempts223
Total Launches283

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

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.

Rocket specifications for NASA Space Shuttle
Length56.1 m
Diameter8.0 m
Stages2
Launch Mass2,030.0 T
Takeoff Thrust28,200.0 kN
LEO Capacity27,500 kg
Launch Cost$450,000,000
Maiden Flight4/12/1981

Learn more about the NASA Space Shuttle Rocket

Mission Spacecraft

Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102) 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 Columbia (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first space-rated orbiter in NASA's Space Shuttle fleet. It launched for the first time on mission STS-1 on April 12, 1981, the first flight of the Space Shuttle program. Over 22 years of service, it completed 27 missions before disintegrating during re-entry near the end of its 28th mission, STS-107 on February 1, 2003, resulting in the deaths of all seven crew members. 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

Spacecraft details for Space Shuttle Columbia
TypeSpaceplane
AgencyNASA
Serial NumberOV-102
StatusDestroyed
DestinationLow Earth Orbit
Maiden Flight4/12/1981
Mission End5/6/1993
Flights28
Crew Capacity7
Human RatedYes
Height56.1 m
Diameter8.7 m
Payload Capacity27,500 kg

About Lockheed Space Operations Company

Launch statistics for Lockheed Space Operations Company
Total Launches65
Successful64
Failed1
Consecutive Success49

Learn more about Lockheed Space Operations Company

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-55 launch scheduled?

The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-55 launch was scheduled for:
.

Where can I watch the Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-55 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-55 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-55 mission?

The STS-55 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-55 launch?

The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-55 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-55 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-55 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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