STS-42 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
STS-42

Spacelab Module LM2 in Discovery's payload bay, serving as the International Microgravity Laboratory (IML).
Names	Space Transportation System-45
Mission type	Microgravity research
Operator	NASA
Mission duration	8 days, 1 hour, 14 minutes, 44 seconds (achieved)
Distance travelled	4,701,140 km (2,921,150 mi)
Orbits completed	129
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Discovery
Launch mass	110,400 kg (243,400 lb)
Landing mass	98,924 kg (218,090 lb)
Payload mass	13,066 kg (28,806 lb)
Crew
Crew size	7
Members	Ronald J. Grabe Stephen S. Oswald Norman E. Thagard William F. Readdy David C. Hilmers Roberta L. Bondar Ulf D. Merbold
Start of mission
Launch date	22 January 1992, 14:52:33 UTC
Rocket	Space Shuttle Discovery
Launch site	Kennedy Space Center, LC-39A
Contractor	Rockwell International
End of mission
Landing date	30 January 1992, 16:07:17 UTC
Landing site	Edwards Air Force Base, Runway 22
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Perigee	291 km (181 mi)
Apogee	307 km (191 mi)
Inclination	57.00°
Period	90.50 minutes
STS-42 mission patch Stephen S. Oswald, Roberta L. Bondar, Norman E. Thagard, Ronald J. Grabe, David C. Hilmers, Ulf D. Merbold, William F. Readdy Space Shuttle program ← STS-44 (44) STS-45 (46) →

STS-42 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission using the orbiter Discovery. This flight carried a special laboratory called Spacelab into space. The main goal of the mission was to study how microgravity affects different living things and materials.

Discovery was supposed to launch on January 22, 1992, but bad weather caused a delay. It successfully lifted off an hour later. The mission lasted for 8 days, 1 hour, 14 minutes, and 44 seconds. The shuttle landed safely at Edwards Air Force Base in California on January 30, 1992. STS-42 was the first of two Discovery flights in 1992. It was also the last Discovery mission with seven crew members until 1997.

Meet the Crew

Position	Astronaut
Commander	Ronald J. Grabe Third spaceflight
Pilot	Stephen S. Oswald First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1	Norman E. Thagard Fourth spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2	William F. Readdy First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 3	David C. Hilmers Fourth and last spaceflight
Payload Specialist 1	Roberta L. Bondar, CSA Only spaceflight
Payload Specialist 2	Ulf D. Merbold, ESA Second spaceflight

Where the Crew Sat

The crew had specific seats for launch and landing. Seats 1 to 4 were on the Flight Deck, which is like the cockpit. Seats 5 to 7 were on the Middeck, a living and working area.

Seat	Launch	Landing	This image shows where astronauts sit in the Space Shuttle. Seats 1–4 are on the Flight Deck. Seats 5–7 are on the Middeck.
S1	Grabe	Grabe
S2	Oswald	Oswald
S3	Thagard	Hilmers
S4	Readdy	Readdy
S5	Hilmers	Thagard
S6	Bondar	Bondar
S7	Merbold	Merbold

Mission Highlights

Discovery lifts off at the start of STS-42.

Re-entry view from the flight deck.

The STS-42 mission launched on January 22, 1992. The launch was delayed by one hour because of weather conditions. The Discovery shuttle weighed about 110,400 kilograms (243,396 pounds) at launch.

The International Microgravity Laboratory

Discovery carried the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1) into orbit. This was a special Spacelab module where astronauts could work. Its main purpose was to study the effects of weightlessness on living things and how materials behave in space.

The crew was divided into two teams, Red and Blue. They worked on many experiments. Some experiments looked at how the human body, especially the nervous system, adapts to low gravity. Other experiments studied how microgravity affected different life forms. These included shrimp eggs, lentil seedlings, fruit fly eggs, and bacteria.

Experiments with Materials

The astronauts also conducted experiments on how materials grow crystals in low gravity. They grew crystals from substances like enzymes, mercury iodine, and even a virus.

Other Payloads

Besides the main laboratory, the shuttle carried other items. These included 10 "Get Away Special" (GAS) canisters. These are small containers for experiments. There were also experiments from the Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP). An Australian-made ultraviolet telescope called Endeavour was also on board. Other experiments focused on things like how gels form in space and how to process polymer membranes. They also measured radiation in space.

Landing and Return

The mission was extended by one day so the crew could do more science. Discovery landed on January 30, 1992, at Edwards Air Force Base. The shuttle rolled for about 2,990 meters (9,811 feet) after landing. It weighed about 98,924 kilograms (218,016 pounds) when it landed. The orbiter was then returned to the Kennedy Space Center on February 16, 1992.

Mission Insignia

The mission patch, or insignia, has a special meaning. The four stars in the lower blue part and two stars in the upper blue part represent the mission's number, STS-42. The single gold star above the horizon on the right honors astronaut Manley Lanier "Sonny" Carter Jr.. He was originally going to be part of the STS-42 crew but sadly passed away in a plane crash.