The Explorers' Club, № MLXXXIII

Operation AXIOM: The Space Age—The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-D (№ 16), Part I
12-13 April 1985: The Space Shuttle Discovery OV-103 lifted off from Florida's K.S.C. with CDR "Bo" Bobko, Pilot Don Williams, M.S.1 Rhea Seddon, M.S.2/F.E. Dave Griggs, M.S.3 Jeff Hoffman, P.S.1 Charlie Walker, & P.S.2 Senator Jake Garn (Republican, Utah); the septet deployed two satellites, Anik C1 & Syncom IV-3 (Leasat-3); Syncom IV-3 did not activate; the flight was extended two days.

Commentary: S.T.S.-51-D was the fourth flight of the Discovery OV-103. Senator Garn was the first of three sitting members of the United States Congress to fly on the Space Shuttle between 1985-1998.

12 April 1985 was the fourth anniversary of S.T.S.-1 (1981), the first Space Shuttle flight, & the twenty-fourth anniversary of Vostok 1 (1961), the first human space flight.

Bonus! Space Age Song o' the Day: S.T.S.-51-D
John Philip Sousa, "Washington Post March" from The March King: John Philip Sousa Conducts His Own Marches and Other Favorites (An Historical Recording) (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.