STS-41-G facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
STS-41-G

ERBS during deployment
Names	Space Transportation System-13
Mission type	Satellite deployment Radar imaging
Operator	NASA
Mission duration	8 days, 5 hours, 23 minutes, 33 seconds (achieved)
Distance travelled	5,293,847 km (3,289,444 mi)
Orbits completed	133
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Challenger
Launch mass	110,120 kg (242,770 lb)
Landing mass	91,746 kg (202,265 lb)
Payload mass	8,573 kg (18,900 lb)
Crew
Crew size	7
Members	Robert L. Crippen Jon A. McBride Kathryn D. Sullivan Sally K. Ride David C. Leestma Paul D. Scully-Power Marc Garneau
EVAs	1
EVA duration	3 hours, 29 minutes
Start of mission
Launch date	5 October 1984, 11:03:00 UTC
Rocket	Space Shuttle Challenger
Launch site	Kennedy Space Center, LC-39A
Contractor	Rockwell International
End of mission
Landing date	13 October 1984, 16:26:33 UTC
Landing site	Kennedy Space Center, SLF Runway 33
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Perigee	351 km (218 mi)
Apogee	391 km (243 mi)
Inclination	57.00°
Period	92.00 minutes
STS-41-G mission patch Top: Paul D. Scully-Power, Robert L. Crippen, Marc Garneau Bottom: Jon A. McBride, Sally K. Ride, Kathryn D. Sullivan, David C. Leestma. The replica of a gold astronaut pin near McBride signifies Unity. Space Shuttle program ← STS-41-D (12) STS-51-A (14) →

STS-41-G was an important space mission flown by NASA's Space Shuttle program in 1984. It was the 13th flight for the Space Shuttle and the sixth time the Space Shuttle Challenger flew into space.

Challenger launched on October 5, 1984, and landed back at the Kennedy Space Center on October 13, 1984. This mission made history in many ways. It was the first time seven astronauts flew together on a single space mission. It also had the first crew with two women: Sally K. Ride and Kathryn D. Sullivan. Kathryn Sullivan also became the first American woman to walk in space during this flight!

Other "firsts" on this mission included the first Australian-born person in space, Paul D. Scully-Power, and the first Canadian astronaut, Marc Garneau.

This mission also carried an IMAX camera. It recorded amazing footage of the launch and the astronauts working in space. Some of this footage, including Sullivan's spacewalk, was used in the 1985 IMAX movie The Dream is Alive.

Meet the Astronauts

Position	Astronaut
Commander	Robert L. Crippen His fourth and final space flight. spaceflight
Pilot	Jon A. McBride His only space flight. spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1	Kathryn D. Sullivan Her first space flight. spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2	Sally K. Ride Her second and final space flight. spaceflight
Mission Specialist 3	David C. Leestma His first space flight. spaceflight
Payload Specialist 1	/ Paul D. Scully-Power His only space flight. spaceflight
Payload Specialist 2	Marc Garneau, CSA His first space flight. spaceflight

Spacewalk

• Leestma and Sullivan – EVA 1
• EVA 1 Start: October 11, 1984
• EVA 1 End: October 11, 1984
• Duration: 3 hours, 29 minutes

Mission Highlights

SIR-B antenna deployment

Sullivan during the EVA

Sample image taken using the SIR-B over Canada.

The Challenger spacecraft launched from the Kennedy Space Center on October 5, 1984. This marked the beginning of the STS-41-G mission. On board were seven crew members, which was the largest crew ever to fly on a single spacecraft at that time.

Commander Robert L. Crippen made his fourth Shuttle flight. He was the first American astronaut to complete two space missions in the same year. The crew also included pilot Jon A. McBride, and mission specialists David C. Leestma, Sally K. Ride, and Kathryn D. Sullivan. The two payload specialists were Paul D. Scully-Power and Marc Garneau.

First American Woman in Space

Kathryn D. Sullivan made history on October 11, 1984. She became the first American woman to walk in space! She and David C. Leestma performed a spacewalk that lasted 3 hours and 29 minutes. During their spacewalk, they tested a system called the Orbital Refueling System (ORS). This test showed that it was possible to refuel satellites while they were in orbit.

Satellite Deployment

About nine hours after launch, the crew deployed the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS). This satellite weighed about 2,307 kilograms (5,086 pounds). The Canadarm robot arm carefully released it from the Shuttle's cargo bay. The ERBS then used its own engines to boost itself into an orbit about 560 kilometers (348 miles) above Earth.

The ERBS was designed to measure energy from the Sun. It also measured how much energy Earth sends back into space. It helped scientists study how energy moves from warm areas near the equator to the polar regions.

Earth Observation Instruments

Another important part of the mission was using the Shuttle Imaging Radar-B (SIR-B). This radar was part of a set of experiments called OSTA-3. The OSTA-3 package also included other cameras and sensors.

• The Large Format Camera (LFC) took detailed photographs of Earth.
• Another camera called MAPS measured air pollution.
• A system called FILE helped identify and locate features on Earth using two TV cameras and two 70mm still cameras.

The SIR-B was an improved version of a radar flown on an earlier Shuttle mission. It had a large antenna that was 11 meters (36 feet) long and 2 meters (6.6 feet) wide. It worked throughout the flight. However, there were some problems with the Challengers communication system. This meant much of the data had to be stored on board instead of being sent to Earth right away.

Scientific Experiments

Payload Specialist Paul Scully-Power, who worked for the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, studied the oceanography of Earth. He made many observations about the oceans during the mission.

Marc Garneau, the Canadian astronaut, carried out experiments for the Canadian government. These experiments, called CANEX, looked at different areas. They included studies on medicine, the atmosphere, climate, materials, and robotics.

The mission also carried several Getaway Special (GAS) canisters. These small containers held various experiments. They tested different materials and explored physics concepts in space.

Mission Conclusion

The STS-41-G mission lasted 8 days, 5 hours, 23 minutes, and 33 seconds. During this time, Challenger traveled over 5.2 million kilometers (3.2 million miles). It completed 133 orbits around Earth.

The Shuttle landed safely at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at Kennedy Space Center. This was on October 13, 1984. It was only the second time a Space Shuttle mission had landed at Kennedy Space Center.

Mission Patch

STS-41-G mission patch

The mission patch for STS-41-G has a special meaning. The 13 stars in the blue part of the U.S. flag on the patch show that this was the 13th Space Shuttle flight. There are also 17 stars in the black part, which was the mission's original number, STS-17.

In the center of the patch, there is a gold astronaut pin. This pin is given to astronauts after their first spaceflight. It represents the fact that most of the crew members on this mission were flying in space for the first time. The patch also shows gender symbols next to each astronaut's name and a Canadian flag icon next to Marc Garneau's name.

Wake-up Calls

NASA started a fun tradition of playing music to astronauts to wake them up. This began during the Project Gemini program. The first time music was used to wake up a crew was during Apollo 15. Each song is chosen carefully, often by the astronauts' families. The songs usually have a special meaning to an astronaut or relate to their daily activities in space.

See also

In Spanish: STS-41-G para niños