STS-62-A
 Space Shuttle Discovery atop Shuttle Carrier Aircraft 905, flies over Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 6 in November 1984, for testing of infrastructure at the base ahead of the mission | |
| Names | Space Transportation System |
|---|---|
| Mission type | DoD satellite deployment (planned) |
| Operator | NASA |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Space Shuttle Discovery (planned) |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 7 |
| Members | |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | July 15, 1986 (planned, not launched) |
| Rocket | Space Shuttle Discovery |
| Launch site | Vandenberg, SLC-6 |
| Contractor | Rockwell International |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | July 19, 1986 (planned) |
| Landing site | Vandenberg, Runway 12/30 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit (planned) |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 312 km (194 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 320 km (200 mi) |
| Inclination | 48.45° |
| Period | 90.90 minutes |
 Back row: Aldridge, Crippen and Watterson Front row: G. Gardner, Mullane, Ross and D. Gardner Cancelled Shuttle missions | |
STS-62-A was a planned NASA Space Shuttle mission to deliver a reconnaissance payload (Teal Ruby) into polar orbit. It was expected to use Discovery. It would have been the first crewed launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, and the first crewed mission to go into polar orbit.
The mission designation, STS-62-A, meant: 6=fiscal year 1986, 2=Vandenberg (1=Kennedy Space Center), and A=first flight in that fiscal year.
Crew
| Position[1][2] | Astronaut | |
|---|---|---|
| Commander | Robert L. Crippen Would have been fifth spaceflight | |
| Pilot | Guy S. Gardner Would have been first spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist 1 | Richard M. Mullane Would have been second spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist 2 | Jerry L. Ross Would have been second spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist 3 | Dale A. Gardner Would have been third spaceflight | |
| Payload Specialist 1 | Edward C. Aldridge Jr. Would have been first spaceflight | |
| Payload Specialist 2 | Brett Watterson, MSE Would have been first spaceflight | |
Post-Challenger accident
The destruction of Challenger and subsequent halt of the Space Shuttle program led to the cancellation of the mission.
Guy Gardner, Jerry Ross, and Mike Mullane were members of the second post-Challenger mission STS-27 — a classified mission for the DoD — during which the Lacrosse-1 radar reconnaissance spacecraft was allegedly deployed.[3][4]
References
- ^ "Crews for First Vandenberg Mission, DoD Flight Named" (PDF) (Press release). NASA Johnson Space Center News. February 15, 1985. pp. 24–25. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 18, 2010. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Bergin, Chris (December 18, 2005). "STS-62A: The Polar Express". Retrieved July 31, 2024.
- ^ Jenkins, Dennis R. (2001). Space Shuttle: The History of the National Space Transportation System The First 100 Missions. Saint Paul, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. p. 329. ISBN 0-9633974-5-1..
- ^ "Display: Lacrosse 1 (1988-106B)". NASA. January 7, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
External links
- STS-62-A mission patch draft designs
- Article on the Teal Ruby satellite that would have been STS-62-A's payload
- National Museum of the United States Air Force page on Teal Ruby
Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Completed flights |  | |
| Status |
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| On display | ||
| Related |
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