The Space Shuttle was concieved in the 1970's as a means of ferrying crews and supplies to an orbiting space station. The craft would be reusable unlike the expendable rockets of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. Years later the vision became a reality. The Space Transportation System (STS), or space shuttle, is mostly reusable. The space shuttle is made up of the orbiter, the solid rocket boosters, and the external fuel tank for the orbiter's main engines. The external tank is not reusable. The U.S. Space Shuttle is the most complicated machine ever built. It holds that distinction to this day despite being designed in the 1970's. Here is an illustration. The shuttle is comprised of 20 million moving parts. Even if 99% of all of these parts worked flawlessly, that would mean that 200,000 parts have failed. Resulting in an obvious catastrophe. Thus it is nothing less then a miracle every time the space shuttle successfully flies.The three remaining space shuttle orbiters will be retired in 2010 and replaced by the new Orion capsule (formerly the Crew Exploration Vehicle).
Before the shuttle's first flight, it had to be tested in its glide &
landing modes. The shuttle approach & landing test verified the orbiter's
airworthiness. Pictured above is the test shuttle orbiter Enterprise riding
piggy-back on the NASA 747, and it is being escorted by T-38 jets flown by
NASA astronauts. Veteran Astronaut Fred W. Haise Jr., who orbited the moon
on the Apollo 13 mission, became the first person to land the space shuttle
during these test flights.
The Space Shuttle Orbiters:
Enterprise: The first orbiter, was used
for the approach & landing test. Not designed to fly in space. Now in
the Smithsonian Museum.
Columbia: The first orbiter to fly
in space. Made first flight on April 12, 1981. Destroyed February 1, 2003.
Challenger: The second orbiter to fly. First
flight on April 4, 1983. Destroyed on January 28, 1986.
Discovery: The third orbiter to fly. Made
first flight on August 30, 1984.
Atlantis: The fourth orbiter to fly. Made
first flight on October 3, 1985.
Endeavour: The fifth orbiter to fly. Built
to replace Challenger. Made first flight on May 7, 1992.
Key:
Numbers in parentheses indicate number of flights flown by astronaut. (1) indicates their first space flight. An (*) asterisk after a name denotes one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts. (^) indicates that the astronaut has either orbited or walked on the moon. (^) indicates that the astronaut is an Apollo era veteran (NASA Astronaut Groups 1 through 7).
1981 1982 1983
1984 1985 1986
1988 1989 1990
1991 1992 1993
1994 1995 1996
1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002
2003 2005 2006
2007
| Mission Name: | STS-1 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | John W. Young, Commander (5)
^ ^ Bob Crippen, Pilot (1) ^ |
| Milestones: | ~First flight of the space shuttle ~Two day shakedown flight in which the crew tested the orbiter systems & procedures ~Astronaut John Young becomes the first person to fly in space five times. ~Gemini & Apollo veteran John W. Young is the only astronaut to have flown the space shuttle that also walked on the moon. ~STS-1 was launched on the 20th anniversary of the first human space flight, made by the now deceased Soviet hero Yuri Gagarin in 1961. |
| Launch Date: | April 12, 1981 |
| Misison Duration: | 2 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-2 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Joe Engle, Commander (1)
^ Richard H. Truly, Pilot (1) ^ |
| Milestones: | ~Second shuttle test flight ~Mission cut short because of a fuel cell failure ~Joe Engle becomes the first person to manually fly the space shuttle through reentry at Mach 25 to a landing on Earth ~STS-2 was the very last U.S. space mission with an all rookie crew. All further NASA missions must be commanded by a veteran astronaut. ~ Under the FAI definition of space, Joe Engle was a rookie astronaut. Under the U.S. Air Force definition, Engle had indeed already flown into space three seperate times on the X-15 back in 1965. Therefore this was his fourth time flying in space. |
| Launch Date: | November 12, 1981 |
| Misison Duration: | 2 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-3 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Jack R. Lousma, Commander (2)
^ C. Gordon Fullerton, Pilot (1) ^ |
| Milestones: | ~Third shuttle shakedown flight ~Deployed a pallet of science experiments ~First landing at White Sands |
| Launch Date: | March 22, 1982 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-4 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Ken Mattingly II, Commander (2)
^ ^ Henry W. Hartsfield Jr., Pilot (1) ^ |
| Milestones: | ~Last shuttle test flight ~Carried Defense Department payload into orbit |
| Launch Date: | June 27, 1982 |
| Misison Duration: | 7 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-5 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Vance D. Brand, Commander (2)
^ Robert F. Overmyer, Pilot (1) ^ Joseph P. Allen, Mission Specialist (1) ^ William B. Lenoir, Mission Specialist (1) ^ |
| Milestones: | ~First operational space shuttle flight ~First spacecraft with a four person crew ~Launched two communications satellites |
| Launch Date: | November 11, 1982 |
| Misison Duration: | 5 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-6 |
| Orbiter: | Challenger |
| Crew: | Paul J. Weitz, Commander (2)
^ Karol J. Bobko, Pilot (1) ^ Don Peterson, Mission Specialist (1) ^ F. Story Musgrave, Mission Specialist (1) ^ |
| Milestones: | ~First flight of the orbiter Challenger ~Deployed satellite ~First shuttle space walk |
| Launch Date: | April 4, 1983 |
| Misison Duration: | 5 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-7 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Bob Crippen, Commander (2)
^ Frederick H. Hauck, Pilot (1) John M. Fabian, Mission Specialist (1) Sally K. Ride, Mission Specialist (1) Norman E. Thagard, Mission Specialist (1) |
| Milestones: | ~Ride is the first American woman in space ~Launched two satellites ~Diverted landing to Edwards AFB ~First five person space crew ~Astronaut Bob Crippen is the first person to make two space shuttle flights |
| Launch Date: | June 18, 1983 |
| Misison Duration: | 6 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-8 |
| Orbiter: | Challenger |
| Crew: | Richard H. Truly, Commander (2)
^ Daniel C. Brandstein, Pilot (1) William E. Thornton, Mission Specialist (1) ^ Guion S. Bluford Jr., Mission Specialist (1) Dale A. Gardner, Mission Specialist (1) |
| Milestones: | ~Dr. Guion Bluford is the first African-American in space ~Launched satellite |
| Launch Date: | August 30, 1983 |
| Misison Duration: | 6 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-9 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | John W. Young, Commander (6)
^ ^ Brewster H. Shaw, Pilot (1) Owen K. Garriott, Mission Specialist (2) ^ Robert A. Parker, Mission Specialist (1) ^ Byron Lichtenberg, Payload Specialist (1) Ulf Merbold, Payload Specialist (1) |
| Milestones: | ~First six person crew ~First flight of non-astronauts (payload specialists) ~Astronaut John Young becomes the first person to fly in space six times. ~John Young's last space flight, ends greatest astronaut career of all time. ~First flight of the Spacelab science module. |
| Launch Date: | November 28, 1983 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
To read the Spaceflighthistory.com biography of John W. Young, click the
image below.
Interesting Fact: There have been no Space Shuttle missions numbered between STS-9 and STS-26.
| Mission Name: | STS-41B |
| Orbiter: | Challenger |
| Crew: | Vance D. Brand, Commander (3)
^ |
| Milestones: | ~Bruce McCandless makes the world's first untethered spacewalk with
the manned manuvering unit (MMU) ~Launched two satellites |
| Launch Date: | February 3, 1984 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-41C |
| Orbiter: | Challenger |
| Crew: | Bob Crippen, Commander (3)
^ |
| Milestones: | ~Launched the long duration exposure facility (LDEF) ~Serviced sloar maximum satellite |
| Launch Date: | April 6, 1984 |
| Misison Duration: | 7 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-41D |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Henry W. Hartsfield Jr., Commander
(2) ^ |
| Milestones: | ~First flight of the orbiter Discovery ~Launched three satellites |
| Launch Date: | August 30, 1984 |
| Misison Duration: | 6 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-41G |
| Orbiter: | Challenger |
| Crew: | Bob Crippen, Commander (4)
^ |
| Milestones: | ~Sullivan becomes first American woman to walk in space. ~Launched satellite |
| Launch Date: | October 5, 1984 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-51A |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Frederick H. Hauck, Commander
(2) |
| Milestones: | ~Launched two satellites ~Retrieved two malfunctioning satellites |
| Launch Date: | November 8, 1984 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
Ken Mattingly- The End of an Era
Ken Mattingly was medically grounded three days before he was to be launched into space as command module pilot for Apollo 13 in 1970. Mattingly's back-up, Jack Swigert, took his place on Apollo 13. NASA doctors believed that he had been exposed to the German measles, which turned out to be false. Mattingly would take Swigert's seat on Apollo 16 and orbit the moon in 1972. Mattingly would go on to command the fourth space shuttle mission in 1982, and also STS-51C in 1985. He and John Young are the only space shuttle astronauts to have made flights to the moon during the Apollo program. Mattingly was played by Gary Sinise in the 1995 film "Apollo 13."
| Mission Name: | STS-51C |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Ken Mattingly II, Commander (3)
^ ^ |
| Milestones: | ~Launched defense department payload into orbit. |
| Launch Date: | January 24, 1985 |
| Misison Duration: | 3 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-51D |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Karol J. Bobko, Commander (2)
^ |
| Milestones: | ~Launched two satellites |
| Launch Date: | April 12, 1985 |
| Misison Duration: | 7 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-51B |
| Orbiter: | Challenger |
| Crew: | Robert F. Overmyer, Commander (2)
^ |
| Milestones: | ~ESA Spacelab 3 mission |
| Launch Date: | April 29, 1985 |
| Misison Duration: | 7 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-51G |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Daniel C. Brandstein, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Deployed three satellites |
| Launch Date: | June 17, 1985 |
| Misison Duration: | 7 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-51F |
| Orbiter: | Challenger |
| Crew: | C. Gordon Fullerton, Commander (2) ^ |
| Milestones: | ~Engine failure during launch led to abort-to-orbit procedure |
| Launch Date: | July 29, 1985 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
Interesting Fact: If the final two Apollo
flights had not been cancelled, Joe Engle would have flown under Gene Cernan
as lunar module pilot of Apollo 17, and become the 12th man to walk on the
moon.
| Mission Name: | STS-51I |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Joe Engle, Commander (2) ^ |
| Milestones: | ~Deployed three satellites |
| Launch Date: | August 27, 1985 |
| Misison Duration: | 7 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-51J |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Karol J. Bobko, Commander (3) ^ |
| Milestones: | ~Department of defense mission |
| Launch Date: | October 3, 1985 |
| Misison Duration: | 4 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-61A |
| Orbiter: | Challenger |
| Crew: | Henry W. Hartsfield Jr., Commander (3)
^ |
| Milestones: | ~German Spacelab D-1 mission |
| Launch Date: | October 30, 1985 |
| Misison Duration: | 7 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-61B |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Brewster H. Shaw, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Deployed three satellites |
| Launch Date: | November 26, 1985 |
| Misison Duration: | 7 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-61C |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Robert L. Gibson, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Deployed satellite |
| Launch Date: | January 12, 1986 |
| Misison Duration: | 6 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-51L |
| Orbiter: | Challenger |
| Crew: | Francis R. Scobee, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Vehicle explodes 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven crew
members |
| Launch Date: | January 28, 1986 |
| Misison Duration: | N/A |
| Mission Name: | STS-26 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Frederick H. Hauck, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~STS-26's all veteran crew returned America to space after the Challenger
disaster two years earlier. |
| Launch Date: | September 29, 1988 |
| Misison Duration: | 4 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-27 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Robert L. Gibson, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Mission for U.S. Department of Defense |
| Launch Date: | December 2, 1988 |
| Misison Duration: | 4 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-29 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Michael L. Coats, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Satellite deployed. Used interial upper stage booster |
| Launch Date: | March 13, 1989 |
| Misison Duration: | 5 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-30 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | David M. Walker, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Launched Magellan/Venus Radar Mapper with the IUS booster. |
| Launch Date: | May 4, 1989 |
| Misison Duration: | 4 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-28 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Brewster H. Shaw Jr., Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Mission for U.S. Department of Defense. |
| Launch Date: | August 8, 1989 |
| Misison Duration: | 5 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-34 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Donald E. Williams, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Launched Galileo/Jupiter spacecraft with the IUS booster. |
| Launch Date: | October 18, 1989 |
| Misison Duration: | 5 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-33 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Frederick D. Gregory, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Frederick Gregory is the first African-American to command a space
mission. |
| Launch Date: | November 22, 1989 |
| Misison Duration: | 5 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-32 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Daniel C. Brandstein, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Launched two satellites |
| Launch Date: | January 9, 1990 |
| Misison Duration: | 11 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-36 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | John O. Creighton, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Mission for U.S. Department of Defense. |
| Launch Date: | February 28, 1990 |
| Misison Duration: | 4 days |
Bruce McCandless- The most famous space
picture ever?
Selected as one of the "Apollo Nineteen" astronauts in 1966, Bruce
McCandless collaborated in the design of the Manned Manuevering Unit throughout
the 1970s. It was fitting that on his first spaceflight, STS-41B in 1984,
he made the first flight in the MMU. It was the first time an astronaut had
ever walked in space untethered from the mother ship.
| Mission Name: | STS-31 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Loren J. Shriver, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~EVA team led by Bruce McCandless launched the Hubble Space Telescope
into orbit |
| Launch Date: | April 24, 1990 |
| Misison Duration: | 5 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-41 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Richard N. Richards, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Launched the Ulysses solar spacecraft with the IUS booster |
| Launch Date: | October 6, 1990 |
| Misison Duration: | 4 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-38 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Richard O. Covey, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Mission for U.S. Department of Defense |
| Launch Date: | November 15, 1990 |
| Misison Duration: | 5 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-35 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Vance D. Brand, Commander (4)
^ |
| Milestones: | ~ASTRO-1 Ultraviolet and X-ray astronomy |
| Launch Date: | December 2, 1990 |
| Misison Duration: | 9 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-37 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Steven R. Nagel, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Launched Gamma Ray Observatory |
| Launch Date: | April 5, 1991 |
| Misison Duration: | 6 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-39 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Micahel L. Coats, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Mission for U.S. Department of Defense |
| Launch Date: | April 28, 1991 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-40 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Bryan D. O'Connor, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Spacelab Life Sciences 1 mission |
| Launch Date: | June 5, 1991 |
| Misison Duration: | 9 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-43 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | John E. Blaha, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Launched satellite |
| Launch Date: | August 2, 1991 |
| Misison Duration: | 9 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-48 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | John O. Creighton, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Launched satellite |
| Launch Date: | September 12, 1991 |
| Misison Duration: | 5 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-44 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Frederick D. Gregory, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Mission for U.S. Department of Defense |
| Launch Date: | November 24, 1991 |
| Misison Duration: | 7 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-42 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Ronald J. Grabe, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~International Microgravity Laboratory 1 |
| Launch Date: | January 22, 1992 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-45 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Charles F. Bolden Jr., Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Carried ATLAS-1 pallet |
| Launch Date: | March 24, 1992 |
| Misison Duration: | 9 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-49 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Daniel C. Brandstein, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~First flight of the orbiter Endeavour |
| Launch Date: | May 7, 1992 |
| Misison Duration: | 9 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-50 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Richard N. Richards, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~U.S. Microgravity Laboratory 1 |
| Launch Date: | June 25, 1992 |
| Misison Duration: | 14 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-46 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Loren J. Shriver, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Deployed two satellites |
| Launch Date: | July 31, 1992 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-47 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Robert L. Gibson, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Mae Jemison is the first African-American woman to fly in space |
| Launch Date: | September 12, 1992 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-52 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | James B. Wetherbee, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Launched two satellites |
| Launch Date: | October 22, 1992 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-53 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | David M. Walker, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Mission for U.S. Department of Defense |
| Launch Date: | December 2, 1992 |
| Misison Duration: | 7 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-54 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | John H. Casper, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Deployed TDRS satellite |
| Launch Date: | January 13, 1993 |
| Misison Duration: | 6 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-56 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Kenneth D. Cameron, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Carried ATLAS-2 pallet into orbit |
| Launch Date: | April 8, 1993 |
| Misison Duration: | 6 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-55 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Steven R. Nagel, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~German Spacelab D-2 mission |
| Launch Date: | April 26, 1993 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-57 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Ronald J. Grabe, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~SPACEHAB-1 mission |
| Launch Date: | June 21, 1993 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-51 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Frank L. Culbertson Jr., Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Deployed ATCS satellite |
| Launch Date: | September 12, 1993 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-58 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | John E. Blaha, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Spacelab Life Sciences Lab 2 |
| Launch Date: | October 18, 1993 |
| Misison Duration: | 14 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-61 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Richard O. Covey, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~First servicing of the crippled Hubble Space Telescope |
| Launch Date: | December 2, 1993 |
| Misison Duration: | 11 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-60 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Charles F. Bolden Jr., Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~SPACEHAB-2 mission |
| Launch Date: | February 3, 1994 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-62 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | John H. Casper, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~U.S. Microgravity Payload-2 |
| Launch Date: | March 4, 1994 |
| Misison Duration: | 14 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-59 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Sidney M. Gutierrez, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Carried the Space Radar Laboratory |
| Launch Date: | April 9, 1994 |
| Misison Duration: | 11 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-65 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Robert D. Cabana, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~International Microgravity Laboratory 2 |
| Launch Date: | July 8, 1994 |
| Misison Duration: | 14 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-64 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Richard N. Richards, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Carried SPARTAN 201 pallet into orbit |
| Launch Date: | September 9, 1994 |
| Misison Duration: | 11 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-68 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Michael A. Baker, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Space Radar Laboratory 2 mission |
| Launch Date: | September 30, 1994 |
| Misison Duration: | 11 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-66 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Donald R. McMonagle, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~ATLAS 3 mission |
| Launch Date: | November 3, 1994 |
| Misison Duration: | 11 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-63 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | James D. Wetherbee, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~SPACEHAB 3 mission |
| Launch Date: | February 3, 1995 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-67 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Stephen S. Oswald, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~ASTRO 2 astronomy mission carried out onboard the Spacelab science module. |
| Launch Date: | March 2, 1995 |
| Misison Duration: | 16 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-71 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Robert L. Gibson, Commander (5) |
| Milestones: | ~First ever docking with the Mir Space Station |
| Launch Date: | June 27, 1995 |
| Misison Duration: | 9 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-70 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Terrance T. Hendricks, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Deployed the 7th TDRS satellite into orbit |
| Launch Date: | July 13, 1995 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-69 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | David M. Walker, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Launched and recovered the Wake Sheild Facility experiment. |
| Launch Date: | September 7, 1995 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-73 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Kenneth D. Bowersox, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~U.S. Microgravity Lab-2 onboard the Spacelab Science Module. |
| Launch Date: | October 20, 1995 |
| Misison Duration: | 16 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-74 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Kenneth D. Cameron, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Second docking with the Mir space station |
| Launch Date: | November 12, 1995 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-72 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Brian Duffy, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Returned Space Flyer Unit to Earth |
| Launch Date: | January 11, 1996 |
| Misison Duration: | 9 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-75 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Andrew M. Allen, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Deploed tethered TSS-1R satellite |
| Launch Date: | February 22, 1996 |
| Misison Duration: | 15 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-76 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Kevin P. Chilton, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Third docking with the Mir space station |
| Launch Date: | March 22, 1996 |
| Misison Duration: | 9 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-77 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | John H. Casper, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Carried SPACEHAB module into orbit |
| Launch Date: | May 19, 1996 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-78 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Terrance T. Hendricks, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Life & Microgravity Spacelab mission |
| Launch Date: | June 20, 1996 |
| Misison Duration: | 17 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-79 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | William F. Readdy, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Fourth docking with the Mir space station |
| Launch Date: | September 16, 1996 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
Story Musgrave- The World's #1 Spacewalker
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Selected by NASA in 1967, Story Musgrave
won the trust of everyone in the space program with his skill, intelligence,
and work ethic. Although he trained extensively for the Apollo program
in the 60's, his first flight wasn't until STS-6 in 1983. He would later
go on to lead the spacewalking team of STS-61 in 1993 that performed
the first servicing of the Hubble Telescope. |
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| Mission Name: | STS-80 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Kenneth D. Cockrell, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Launched & recovered the Wake Shield Facility |
| Launch Date: | November 19, 1996 |
| Misison Duration: | 17 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-81 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Michael A. Baker, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Fifth docking with the Mir Space Station |
| Launch Date: | January 12, 1997 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-82 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Kenneth D. Bowersox, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Second servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope |
| Launch Date: | February 11, 1997 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-83 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | James D. Halsell, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Microgravity Science Lab onboard Spacelab module |
| Launch Date: | April 4, 1997 |
| Misison Duration: | 4 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-84 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Charles J. Precourt, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Sixth docking with the Mir Space Station. |
| Launch Date: | May 15, 1997 |
| Misison Duration: | 9 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-94 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | James D. Halsell, Commander (5) |
| Milestones: | ~Reflight of the STS-83 MSL mission consisting of the same crew. |
| Launch Date: | July 1, 1997 |
| Misison Duration: | 15 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-85 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Curtis L. Brown Jr., Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Launched & recovered the CHRISTA-SPAS satellite payload |
| Launch Date: | August 7, 1997 |
| Misison Duration: | 12 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-86 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | James D. Wetherbee, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Seventh docking with the Mir Space Station |
| Launch Date: | September 25, 1997 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-87 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Kevin R. Kregal, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~U.S. Microgravity Payload-4 |
| Launch Date: | November 19, 1997 |
| Misison Duration: | 15 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-89 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Terrence W. Wilcutt, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Eighth docking with the Mir Space Station |
| Launch Date: | January 22, 1998 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-90 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Richard A. Searfoss, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Neurolab mission onboard the Spacelab science module |
| Launch Date: | April 17, 1998 |
| Misison Duration: | 16 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-91 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Charles J. Precourt, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Ninth and final docking of a U.S. Space Shuttle with the Space Station
Mir |
| Launch Date: | June 2, 1998 |
| Misison Duration: | 9 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-95 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Curtis L. Brown, Commander (5) |
| Milestones: | ~Astronaut John H. Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth,
returns to space 36 years after his first flight in 1962. |
| Launch Date: | October 29, 1998 |
| Misison Duration: | 9 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-88 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Robert D. Cabana, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~First ISS assembly mission |
| Launch Date: | December 4, 1998 |
| Misison Duration: | 11 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-96 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Kent V. Rominger, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Second ISS assembly flight |
| Launch Date: | May 27, 1999 |
| Misison Duration: | 9 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-93 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Eileen M. Collins, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Eileen Collins is the first female to command a space mission |
| Launch Date: | July 23, 1999 |
| Misison Duration: | 5 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-103 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Curtis L. Brown, Commander (6) |
| Milestones: | ~Third mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope |
| Launch Date: | December 19, 1999 |
| Misison Duration: | 8 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-99 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Kevin R. Kregel, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Shuttle Radar Topography Mission |
| Launch Date: | February 11, 2000 |
| Misison Duration: | 11 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-101 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | James D. Halsell Jr., Commander (5) |
| Milestones: | ~Service mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | May 19, 2000 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-106 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Terrence W. Wilcutt, Commander (5) |
| Milestones: | ~ISS Assembly Flight |
| Launch Date: | September 8, 2000 |
| Misison Duration: | 11 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-92 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Brian Duffy, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~100th Space Shuttle Mission |
| Launch Date: | October 11, 2000 |
| Misison Duration: | 13 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-97 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Brent W. Jett, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Service mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | November 30, 2000 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-98 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Kennenth D. Cockrell, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Service mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | Feburary 7, 2001 |
| Misison Duration: | 13 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-102 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | James D. Wetherbee, Commander (5) |
| Milestones: | ~Service mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | March 8, 2001 |
| Misison Duration: | 12 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-100 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Kent V. Rominger, Commander (5) |
| Milestones: | ~Assembly mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | April 19, 2001 |
| Misison Duration: | 11 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-104 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Steven W. Lindsey, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Assembly mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | July 12, 2001 |
| Misison Duration: | 12 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-105 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Scott J. Horowitz, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Service mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | Auguest 10, 2001 |
| Misison Duration: | 12 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-108 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Dominic L. Pudwill Gorie, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Service mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | December 5, 2001 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-109 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Scott D. Altman, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Fourth Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission |
| Launch Date: | March 1, 2002 |
| Misison Duration: | 11 days |
Jerry L. Ross- The first human to fly in space seven times
With a distiguished test pilot background, Jerry Ross would go on to become the first person to make seven flights into outer space. Before his selection to the ninth group of NASA astronauts in 1980, Jerry Ross was the chief flight test engineer on the highly advanced B-1 stealth bomber. He holds two degrees in mechanical engineering, and has logged over 4000 hours of flying time. Ross served as a mission specialist on STS-61B, STS-27, STS-37, STS-55, STS-74, STS-88, & STS-110. Ross is the second most experienced U.S. spacewalker. He is currently in a management position at the Johnson Space Center.
| Mission Name: | STS-110 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Michael J. Bloomfield, Commander
(3) |
| Milestones: | ~Assembly mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | April 8, 2002 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-111 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Kenneth D. Cockrell, Commander (5) |
| Milestones: | ~Service mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | June 5, 2002 |
| Misison Duration: | 14 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-112 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Jeffrey S. Ashby, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~Assembly mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | October 7, 2002 |
| Misison Duration: | 10 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-113 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | James D. Wetherbee, Commander (6) |
| Milestones: | ~Assembly mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | November 23, 2002 |
| Misison Duration: | 13 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-107 |
| Orbiter: | Columbia |
| Crew: | Rick D. Husband, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~All seven crew members are killed during reentry on February 1,
2003 . Columbia orbiter was damaged by a piece of foam from the external
tank during liftoff. All U.S. Space Shuttles were grounded following
STS-107. |
| Launch Date: | January 16, 2003 |
| Misison Duration: | 16 Days: Launch to Reentry. Landing unsuccessful |
| Mission Name: | STS-114 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Eileen M. Collins, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~"Return to Flight" mission after the Columbia disaster
two and a half years earlier |
| Launch Date: | July 26, 2005 |
| Misison Duration: | 14 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-121 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Steven W. Lindsey, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Service mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | July 4, 2006 |
| Misison Duration: | 12 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-115 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Brent W. Jett, Commander (4) |
| Milestones: | ~Assembly mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | September 9, 2006 |
| Misison Duration: | 11 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-116 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Mark L. Polansky, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Assembly mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | December 7, 2006 |
| Misison Duration: | 12 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-117 |
| Orbiter: | Atlantis |
| Crew: | Frederick W. Sturckow, Commander
(3) |
| Milestones: | ~Assembly mission to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | June 8, 2007 |
| Misison Duration: | 13 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-118 |
| Orbiter: | Endeavour |
| Crew: | Scott J. Kelly, Commander (2) |
| Milestones: | ~Barbara Morgan becomes the first teacher to fly in space |
| Launch Date: | August 8, 2007 |
| Misison Duration: | 13 days |
| Mission Name: | STS-120 |
| Orbiter: | Discovery |
| Crew: | Pamela A. Melroy, Commander (3) |
| Milestones: | ~STS-120 delivered the Harmony Node to the ISS |
| Launch Date: | October 23, 2007 |
| Misison Duration: | 15 days |
Next Scheduled Flight: STS-122 (Atlantis)
Planned Launch Date: December 6, 2007
Flight Commander: Stephen N. Frick (1)
etc...
Numbers in parentheses indicate number of flights flown by astronaut. (1) indicates their first space flight. An (*) asterisk after a name denotes one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts. (^) indicates that the astronaut has either orbited or walked on the moon. (^) indicates that the astronaut is an Apollo era veteran (NASA Astronaut Groups 1 through 7).
Mercury Gemini Apollo Skylab Shuttle Records Timeline Constellation Quizzes Space Travelers
