STS-45

Flag of the United States.svg
Amerikas Forenede Stater's flag

Blue male symbol.svg
Forfatter/Opretter: Kwamikagami, Licens: CC BY-SA 4.0
symbol of Mars. 16 × 16 pixel nominal dimensions, lines 2 pixel thick, square caps. Colour 75% blue: red=0 green=0 blue=191 (#0000BF).

Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
Belgiens flag

Atlantis taking off on STS-27.jpg
Space Shuttle Atlantis takes flight on its STS-27 mission on December 2, 1988, 9:30 a.m. EST, utilizing 375,000 pounds thrust produced by its three main engines. The STS-27 was the third classified mission dedicated to the Department of Defense (DoD). After completion of mission, Orbiter Atlantis landed December 6, 1988, 3:36 p.m. PST at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

STS-45 Landing - GPN-2000-000737.jpg
As the sun rises the morning of April 2, it casts a rosy glow over a steller performer, the orbiter Atlantis parked on Runway 33 of the Shuttle Landing Facility. Atlantis touched down at 6:23:6 a.m. EST, completing a highly successful flight that was extended by a day to further the scientific research being performed on the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-1 (ATLAS-1) payload. On board OV-104 for Mission STS-45 was a crew of seven.

Sts-49-patch.png
STS-49 Patch

• STS-49 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, crew insignia (logo), the official insignia of the NASA STS-49 mission, captures space flight's spirit of exploration which has its origins in the early seagoing vessels that explored the uncharted reaches of Earth and its oceans. The ship depicted on the patch is HMS Endeavour, the sailing vessel which Captain James Cook commanded on his first scientific expedition to the South Pacific. Just as Captain Cook engaged in unprecedented feats of exploration during his voyage, on Endeavour's maiden flight, its crew will expand the horizons of space operations with an unprecedented rendezvous and series of three space walks. During three consecutive days of extravehicular activity (EVA), the crew will conduct one space walk to retrieve, repair and deploy the INTELSAT IV-F3 communications satellite, and two additional EVAs to evaluate the potential Space Station Freedom (SSF) assembly concepts. The flags flying on Endeavour's masts wear the colors of the two schools that won the nationwide contest when Endeavour was chosen as the name of NASA's newest Space Shuttle: Senatobia (Mississippi) Middle School and Tallulah Falls (Georgia) School The names of the STS-49 flight crewmembers are located around the edge of the patch. They are Commander Daniel C. Brandenstein, Pilot Kevin P. Chilton, Mission Specialist (MS) Pierre J. Thuot, MS Kathryn C. Thornton, MS Richard J. Hieb, MS Thomas D. Akers, and MS Bruce E. Melnick. Each crewmember contributed to the design of the insignia.

Sts-45-patch.png

STS-45 Mission Insignia

Designed by the crewmembers, the STS-45 patch depicts the Space Shuttle launching from the Kennedy Space Center into a high inclination orbit. From this vantage point, the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS) payload can view Earth, the sun, and their dynamic interactions against the background of space. Earth is prominently displayed and is the focus of the mission's space plasma physics and Earth sciences observations. The colors of the setting sun, measured by sensitive instruments, provide detailed information about ozone, carbon dioxide and other gases which determine Earth's climate and environment. Encircling the scene are the names of the flight crewmembers. The additional star in the ring is to recognize Charles R. Chappell and Michael Lampton, alternate payload specialists, and the entire ATLAS-1 team for its dedication and support of this Mission to Planet Earth.

Sts-42-patch.png

STS-42 Mission Insignia

Designed by the crewmembers, the STS- 42 Intemational Microgravity Lab- 1 insignia depicts the orbiter with the Spacelab module aboard. The spacecraft is oriented in a quiescent, tail-to-Earth, gravity-gradient attitude to best support the various microgravity payloads and experiments. The international composition of the crew is depicted by symbols representing Canada and the European Space Agency. The number 42 is represented by six white stars --- four on one side of the orbiter and two on the other. The single gold star above Earth's horizon honors the memory of astronaut Manley L. (Sonny) Carter, who was killed earlier this year in a commuter plane crash. A crew spokesperson stated that Carter ...was our crewmate, colleague and friend. Blue letters set against white give the surnames of the five astronauts and two payload specialists for the flight.

Sts-45 crew.jpg
The STS-45 mission official crew portrait includes Brian Duffy, pilot (seated on left); and Charles F. Bolden, Jr., commander (seated on right). Standing on the back row (left to right) are Byron K. Lichtenberg, payload specialist 1; C. Michael Foale, mission specialist 3; David C. Leestma, mission specialist 2; Kathryn D. Sullivan, payload commander; and Dirk D. Frimout, payload specialist 2. The primary payload for the mission was the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-1 (ATLAS-1). The mission launched aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on March 24, 1992 at 8:13:40am (EST).

STS-45 view of payload bay.jpg
STS-45 payload bay (PLB) configuration onboard Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, includes the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet 4 (SSBUV-4) and Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science 1 (ATLAS-1) instruments. The SSBUV get away special (GAS) canisters are mounted on a GAS adapter beam on the starboard PLB sill longeron. THE SSBUV support canister is in the foreground and the SSBUV instrument canister with motorized door assembly (MDA) is next to it. ATLAS-1 equipment includes the igloo (center - decorated with several insignias), the Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators (SEPAC) spheres, and additional instruments mounted on unpressurized spacelab pallets. In the background, are the orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods and vertical tail highlighted against the cloud-covered surface of the Earth.

STS-45 Launch - GPN-2000-000736.jpg
With its twin solid rocket boosters and three main engines churning at seven million pounds of thrust, the Space Shuttle Atlantis thunders skyward from Launch Pad 39A. Liftoff of Mission STS-45 occurred at 8:13:40 a.m. EST, March 24, 1992. On board for the 46th Shuttle flight are a crew of seven and the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-1 (ATLAS-1). The launch is the second in 1992 for the Shuttle program and Atlantis' 11th flight.