STS-40 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
STS-40

Spacelab Module LM1 in Columbia's payload bay, serving as the Spacelab Life Sciences laboratory
Names	Space Transportation System-41
Mission type	Spacelab Life Sciences-1 (SLS-1)
Operator	NASA
Mission duration	9 days, 2 hours, 14 minutes, 20 seconds (achieved)
Distance travelled	6,083,223 km (3,779,940 mi)
Orbits completed	146
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Columbia
Launch mass	114,290 kg (251,970 lb)
Landing mass	102,283 kg (225,495 lb)
Payload mass	12,374 kg (27,280 lb)
Crew
Crew size	7
Members	Bryan D. O'Connor Sidney M. Gutierrez James P. Bagian Tamara E. Jernigan Margaret Rhea Seddon F. Drew Gaffney Millie Hughes-Fulford
Start of mission
Launch date	5 June 1991, 13:24:51 UTC
Rocket	Space Shuttle Columbia
Launch site	Kennedy Space Center, LC-39B
Contractor	Rockwell International
End of mission
Landing date	14 June 1991, 15:39:11 UTC
Landing site	Edwards, Runway 22
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Perigee	287 km (178 mi)
Apogee	296 km (184 mi)
Inclination	39.02°
Period	90.40 minutes
STS-40 mission patch Back row: Bryan D. O'Connor, Tamara E. Jernigan, Sidney M. Gutierrez Front row: F. Drew Gaffney, Millie Hughes-Fulford, Margaret Rhea Seddon, James P. Bagian Space Shuttle program ← STS-39 (40) STS-43 (42) →

STS-40 was an exciting nine-day space mission in June 1991. It was the eleventh flight for the Space Shuttle Columbia. This mission carried a special science laboratory called Spacelab. It was the first Spacelab mission completely focused on biology and how living things react to space. STS-40 also made history as the first spaceflight with three women astronauts on board!

Meet the STS-40 Crew

The STS-40 mission had a team of seven brave astronauts. They worked together to perform important science experiments in space.

Where the Crew Sat

The astronauts had specific seats for launch and landing. Some sat on the flight deck, which is like the cockpit. Others sat on the middeck, which is a living and working area.

Seat	Launch	Landing	This diagram shows where astronauts sit in the Space Shuttle. Seats 1–4 are on the Flight Deck. Seats 5–7 are on the Middeck.
S1	O'Connor	O'Connor
S2	Gutierrez	Gutierrez
S3	Bagian	Seddon
S4	Jernigan	Jernigan
S5	Seddon	Bagian
S6	Gaffney	Gaffney
S7	Hughes-Fulford	Hughes-Fulford

Mission Journey and Discoveries

The Space Shuttle Columbia launches for the STS-40 mission.

The launch of STS-40 was originally planned for May 22, 1991. However, it was delayed a few times. Engineers found some small issues with parts in the shuttle's fuel system. They also had to fix a computer and other controls. After these important repairs, the mission successfully launched on June 5, 1991. The Columbia weighed about 114,290 kilograms at launch. This amazing launch was even filmed for an IMAX movie called Journey to Space.

This mission was super important for science. It was the fifth time a Spacelab module flew, but the first time it was completely dedicated to studying life in space. The astronauts performed detailed experiments, similar to those done on the Skylab missions in the 1970s.

Who and What Was Studied

The scientists studied humans, 30 rodents (like mice), and thousands of tiny jellyfish. The main goal was to understand how space affects living bodies.

The experiments focused on six main body systems:

• Heart and Lungs: How the cardiovascular system works in space.
• Kidneys and Hormones: How the renal and endocrine systems adapt.
• Blood: Changes in blood plasma.
• Immune System: How the body's defenses react to microgravity.
• Muscles and Bones: How the musculoskeletal system changes.
• Brain and Nerves: How the neurovestibular system (balance and senses) is affected.

Besides these main studies, the shuttle also carried other experiments. These included Getaway Special (GAS) canisters for testing materials, plants, and cosmic radiation. There was also an experiment called MODE to study how things move in zero gravity.

Landing Back on Earth

After nine days in space, the Columbia landed safely on June 14, 1991. It touched down on Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The shuttle then returned to the Kennedy Space Center a week later.

Space Wake-Up Calls

NASA has a fun tradition of playing music to wake up astronauts in space. This started during the Project Gemini program. Each song is chosen carefully, often by the astronauts' families. The songs usually have a special meaning to one of the crew members or relate to their daily tasks.