Lockheed Space Operations Company STS-61 Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105
Rocket Launch Video Stream
Meet the Astronaut Crew
Richard O. Covey
| Birthday | 08/01/1946 |
|---|---|
| Role | Commander |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 08/27/1985 |
| Last Flight | 12/02/1993 |
Richard Oswalt Covey is a retired United States Air Force officer and former NASA astronaut.
Ken Bowersox
| Birthday | 11/14/1956 |
|---|---|
| Role | Pilot |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 06/25/1992 |
| Last Flight | 11/24/2002 |
Kenneth Dwane "Sox" Bowersox is a United States Navy officer, and a former NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of five Space Shuttle launches and...
Claude Nicollier
| Birthday | 09/02/1944 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | Switzerland |
| First Flight | 07/31/1992 |
| Last Flight | 12/20/1999 |
Claude Nicollier is the first astronaut from Switzerland. He has flown on four Space Shuttle missions. His first spaceflight (STS-46) was in 1992, and his...
Kathryn C. Thornton
| Birthday | 08/17/1952 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 11/23/1989 |
| Last Flight | 10/20/1995 |
Kathryn Ryan Cordell Thornton is an American scientist and a former NASA astronaut with over 975 hours in space, including 21 hours of extravehicular activity....
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.
Jeffrey Hoffman
| Birthday | 11/02/1944 |
|---|---|
| Role | Mission Specialist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| First Flight | 04/12/1985 |
| Last Flight | 02/22/1996 |
Jeffrey Alan Hoffman is an American former NASA astronaut and currently a professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT. Hoffman made five flights as a...
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 to both Disney's Imagineering group...
About the STS-61 Mission
| Type | Astrophysics |
|---|---|
| Orbit | Low Earth Orbit |
| Launch Cost | $450,000,000 |
STS-61 was the first Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, and the fifth flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The mission launched on 2 December 1993 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission restored the spaceborne observatory's vision, marred by spherical aberration, with the installation of a new main camera and a corrective optics package. This correction occurred more than three and a half years after the Hubble was launched aboard STS-31 in April 1990. The flight also brought instrument upgrades and new solar arrays to the telescope.
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 Endeavour
Space Shuttle Endeavour (OV-105) 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 Endeavour (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-105) is a retired orbiter from NASA's Space Shuttle program and the fifth and final operational shuttle built. It embarked on its first mission, STS-49, in May 1992 and its 25th and final mission, STS-134, in May 2011. STS-134 was expected to be the final mission of the Space Shuttle program, but with the authorization of STS-135, Atlantis became the last shuttle to fly. The United States Congress approved the construction of Endeavour in 1987 to replace Challenger, which was lost in 1986. Structural spares built during the construction of Discovery and Atlantis were used in its assembly. NASA chose, on cost grounds, to build Endeavour from spares rather than refitting Enterprise. 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-105 |
| Status | Retired |
| Destination | Low Earth Orbit |
| Maiden Flight | 4/12/1981 |
| Mission End | 12/13/1993 |
| Flights | 25 |
| 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-61 launch scheduled?
The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-61 launch was scheduled for:
.
Where can I watch the Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-61 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 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-61 mission?
The STS-61 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 launch?
The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-61 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 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 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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