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Lockheed Space Operations Company STS-68 Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105

Launch Status
Success

Rocket Launch Video Stream

Meet the Astronaut Crew

NASA Astronaut Michael A. Baker, STS-68 Commander

Michael A. Baker

Astronaut details for Michael A. Baker
Birthday10/27/1953
RoleCommander
NationalityUnited States of America
First Flight08/02/1991
Last Flight01/12/1997

Michael Allen Baker is a retired captain in the United States Navy, former NASA astronaut, and the International Space Station Program Manager for International and...

NASA Astronaut Terrence W. Wilcutt, STS-68 Pilot

Terrence W. Wilcutt

Astronaut details for Terrence W. Wilcutt
Birthday10/31/1949
RolePilot
NationalityUnited States of America
First Flight09/30/1994
Last Flight09/08/2000

Terrence Wade Wilcutt is a United States Marine Corps officer and a NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of four Space Shuttle missions. Wilcutt is...

NASA Astronaut Daniel W. Bursch, STS-68 Mission Specialist

Daniel W. Bursch

Astronaut details for Daniel W. Bursch
Birthday07/25/1957
RoleMission Specialist
NationalityUnited States of America
First Flight09/12/1993
Last Flight12/05/2001

Daniel Wheeler Bursch is a former NASA astronaut, and Captain of the United States Navy. He had four spaceflights, the first three of which were...

NASA Astronaut Peter Wisoff, STS-68 Mission Specialist

Peter Wisoff

Astronaut details for Peter Wisoff
Birthday08/16/1958
RoleMission Specialist
NationalityUnited States of America
First Flight06/21/1993
Last Flight10/11/2000

Peter Jeffrey Kelsay Wisoff is an American physicist and former NASA astronaut. Wisoff qualified as mission specialist and flew in four manned Space Shuttle missions,...

NASA Astronaut Steven Smith, STS-68 Mission Specialist

Steven Smith

Astronaut details for Steven Smith
Birthday12/30/1958
RoleMission Specialist
NationalityUnited States of America
First Flight09/30/1994
Last Flight04/08/2002

Steven Lee Smith is an American technology executive and former NASA astronaut, being a veteran of four space flights covering 16 million miles and seven...

NASA Astronaut Thomas David Jones, STS-68 Mission Specialist

Thomas David Jones

Astronaut details for Thomas David Jones
Birthday01/22/1955
RoleMission Specialist
NationalityUnited States of America
First Flight04/09/1994
Last Flight02/07/2001

Thomas David Jones is a former United States astronaut. He was selected to the astronaut corps in 1990 and completed four space shuttle flights before...

About the STS-68 Mission

Mission details for STS-68
TypeEarth Science
OrbitLow Earth Orbit
Launch Cost$450,000,000

STS-68 was a human spaceflight mission using Space Shuttle Endeavour that launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on 30 September 1994.

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 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

Spacecraft details for Space Shuttle Endeavour
TypeSpaceplane
AgencyNASA
Serial NumberOV-105
StatusRetired
DestinationLow Earth Orbit
Maiden Flight4/12/1981
Mission End10/11/1994
Flights25
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-68 launch scheduled?

The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-68 launch was scheduled for:
.

Where can I watch the Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-68 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-68 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-68 mission?

The STS-68 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-68 launch?

The Lockheed Space Operations Company Space Shuttle STS-68 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-68 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-68 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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