The Stars My Destination: Space Shuttle, 1985

The Space Age: The 40th Anniversaries of the Space Shuttle Program
There were two Space Shuttle flights in 1981, three in 1982, four in 1983, five in 1984, & then nine in 1985, the most in any year of the Space Shuttle's three decades. These were the salad days. With S.T.S.-51-D, the sixteenth flight of the Space Shuttle, the Orbiter spaceplane became America's most commonly used spacecraft, surpassing the fifteen flights of the Apollo Command & Service Module (Apollo 7 through Apollo 17, Skylab 2 through Skylab 4, & the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project; 1968-1975).

The Atlantis rolled out of the factory, completing the original fleet of four operational Orbiters, & because this was 1985, flew two missions, with a still-standing record turnaround of only fifty-four days between liftoffs. There were two classified Department of Defense missions & three Spacelab missions.

Crews became ever more diverse, with more female Americans, African-Americans, & Asian-Americans; a Saudi, a Frenchman, West Germans, a Dutchman, & a Mexican; & a siting U.S. Senator. S.T.S.-61-A flew the only eight-person crew in history, because why not?

The Wayback Machine Tour of the Space Shuttle (1985)
"The Explorers' Club," № MLXX: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-C, Part I (№ 15)
"The Explorers' Club," № MLXXI: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-C, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № MLXXVII: The 40th Anniversary of the Space Shuttle Atlantis
"The Explorers' Club," № MLXXXIII: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-D, Part I (№ 16)
"The Explorers' Club," № MLXXXIV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-D, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № MLXXXVI: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-B (Spacelab 3), Part I (№ 17)
"The Explorers' Club," № MLXXXVII: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-B (Spacelab 3), Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № MXCIV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-G, Part I (№ 18)
"The Explorers' Club," № MXCV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-G, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № MXCVII: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-L, Prelude
"The Explorers' Club," № MCV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-L, Prelude
"The Explorers' Club," № MCII: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-F (Spacelab 2), Part I (№ 19)
"The Explorers' Club," № MCIV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-F (Spacelab 2), Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № MCVIII: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-I, Part I (№ 20)
"The Explorers' Club," № MCIX: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-I, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № MCXIV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-J, Part I (№ 21)
"The Explorers' Club," № MCXV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-J, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № MCXIX: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-61-A (Spacelab D1), Part I (№ 22)
"The Explorers' Club," № MCXXI: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-61-A (Spacelab D1), Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № MCXXV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-61-B, Part I (№ 23)
"The Explorers' Club," № MCXXVI: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-61-B, Part II

Ad astra per aspera.

The Stars My Destination: Space Shuttle, 1983

The Space Age: The 40th Anniversaries of the Space Shuttle Program
There were two Space Shuttle flights in 1981, three in 1982, & four in 1983. 1983 saw the beginning of the Tracking & Data Relay Satellite System (T.D.R.S.S.), which is still in use today (though being phased out). Shuttle crews became more diverse, fulfilling the promise of 1978's Astronaut Grop 8: the first female astronaut (third female overall after two Soviet cosmonauts) on S.T.S.-7, the first African-American astronaut on S.T.S.-8, & the first European astronaut on S.T.S.-9. Payload Specialists began flying alongside Mission Specialists. The European-built Spacelab module flew for the first time.

The Wayback Machine Tour of the Space Shuttle (1983)
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXLIII: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-6, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXLIV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-6, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLIX: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-7, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXI: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-7, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-8, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXVII: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-8, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXXV: The 40th Anniversary of the Space Shuttle Discovery
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-9 (Spacelab 1), Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCVII: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-9 (Spacelab 1), Part II

Ad astra per aspera.

The Explorers' Club, № MCXL

The Space Race—Astronaut Group 4 (the "Scientists"), Part IV
Owen Kay Garriott (22 November 1930-15 April 2019), rank unknown, U.S. Navy—He flew Skylab 3 (1973) & S.T.S.-9 (Spacelab 1, 1983), the only Skylab Science Pilot to fly on the Space Shuttle; he conducted three E.V.A. during Skylab 3; he held an Extra Class ham radio license & pioneered the use of ham radio from orbit during Spacelab 1; he helped develop the I.S.S.'s Destiny lab module.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: The Scientists—Owen Garriott
Elvis Costello & the Attractions, "Radio, Radio" from This Year's Model (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

The Wayback Machine Tour of Owen Garriott
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXVII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXX: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXIII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXXI: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part IV
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-9, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCVII: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-9, Part II

Requiescat in pace.

The Explorers' Club, № MCXXI

Operation AXIOM: The Space Age—The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-61-A, Part II
31 October-6 November 1985: Spacelab D1—The crew split to conduct science twenty-four hours/day (Blue Team: Hartsfield, Nagel, Dunbar, Furrer, & Ockels; Red Team: Buckli, Bluford, & Messerschmid); the mission was paid for by & Spacelab's experiments operated from West Germany (D1 = Deutschland-1 ["Germany-1"]); after 112 orbits, the Challenger landed at California's Edwards.

Commentary: Flight operations were controlled from the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, United States, payload operations from the German Space Operations Center in Oberpfaffenhofen, Bavaria, West Germany. This international, multi-site coordination helped pave the way for the International Space Station & the Artemis Program.

Bonus! Space Age Song o'the Day: S.T.S.-61-A
Johnny Socko, "Hasselhoff" from Full Trucker Effect (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I would have thought that with an eight-person crew, the Blue & Red Teams would each have four members. I have no idea why the Blue Team had five members & the Red Team only three.

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № MCXIX

Operation AXIOM: The Space Age—The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-61-A (№ 22), Part I
30 October 1985: Spacelab D1—The Space Shuttle Challenger OV-099 lifted off from Florida's K.S.C. with CDR Hank Hartsfield, Pilot Steve Nagel, M.S.1 Bonnie Dunbar, M.S.2/F.E. Jim Buchli, M.S.3 Guy Bluford, P.S.1 Reinhard Furrer (West German space agency, D.F.V.L.R.), P.S.2 Ernst Messerschmid (D.F.V.L.R.), & P.S.3 Wubbo Ockels (European Space Agency), the largest crew ever launched.

Commentary: S.T.S.-61-A was the ninth flight of the Challenger OV-099.

S.T.S.-61-A was also the first space flight to carry multiple citizens of a country other than the United States or the Soviet Union (Furrer & Messerschmid were West German & Ockels was Dutch).

Bonus! Space Age Song o'the Day: S.T.S.-61-A
Nena, "99 Luftballons" from the International Album compilation (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № MCIV

Operation AXIOM: The Space Age—The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-F, Part II
30 July-6 August 1985: Spacelab 2—The crew split to conduct science twenty-four hours/day (Red Team: Bridges, Henize, & Acton; Blue Team: Musgrave, England, & Bartoe; Fullerton floated 'twixt); the Infrared Telescope imaged 60% of the galactic plane & the Canadarm deployed & recovered the Plasma Diagnostics Package satellite; after 127 orbits, the Challenger landed at California's Edwards.

Commentary: The lower altitude due to the Abort to Orbit during ascent meant the mission timeline had to be entirely rewritten on the fly, but S.T.S.-51-F turned out to be a highly successful flight & was extended for an additional day (seventeen orbits, twenty-five & a half hours).

Bonus! Space Age Song o' the Day: S.T.S.-51-F
Robbie Williams featuring Michael Bublé, "Soda Pop" from Swings Both Ways (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № MCII

Operation AXIOM: The Space Age—The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-F (№ 19), Part I
29 July 1985: Spacelab 2—The Space Shuttle Challenger OV-099 lifted off from Florida's K.S.C. with CDR Gordon Fullerton, Pilot Roy Bridges Jr., M.S.1 Karl Henize, M.S.2/F.E. Story Musgrave, M.S.3 Tony England, P.S.1 Loren Acton, & P.S.2 John Bartoe; the center S.S.M.E. rocket shut down during ascent due to sensor failures, resulting in an "Abort to Orbit," a lower-than-intended orbital altitude.

Commentary: S.T.S.-51-F was the eighth flight of the Challenger OV-099.

S.T.S.-51-F suffered a launch abort on 12 July, when the countdown was halted at T-minus three seconds (T-0:03) due to a malfunctioning coolant value on a different Space Shuttle Main Engine.

Your eyes do not deceive you, attentive reader, Spacelab 3 (S.T.S.-51-B) flew before Spacelab 2. Spacelab 2 flew in a different configuration than Spacelabs 1 & 3, with no pressurized module in the Challenger's Payload Bay, but rather the Spacelab Infrared Telescope mounted on the Instrument Pointing System, with control equipment in a smaller pressurized cylinder known as the "Igloo."

Bonus! Space Age Song o' the Day: S.T.S.-51-F
Fountains of Wayne, "Troubled Times" from Utopia Parkway (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № MLXXXVII

Operation AXIOM: The Space Age—The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-B, Part II
30 April-6 May 1985: Spacelab 3—The crew split to conduct science twenty-four hours/day (Gold Team: Overmyer, Lind, Thornton, & Wang; Silver Team: Gregory, Thagard, & van den Berg); Wang's experiment failed to operate initially & he made troubling remarks about "I'm not going back," but he was eventually able to effect repairs; after 111 orbits, the Challenger landed at California's Edwards.

Commentary: Duct tape was placed on the Challenger's hatch during S.T.S.-51-B; on later missions, the Commander was able to padlock the hatch to prevent accidental opening while on orbit.

S.T.S.-51-B was also the first flight to launch a small satellite from a Getaway Special canister.

Bonus! Space Age Song o' the Day: S.T.S.-51-B
The Chinkees, "Asian Progidy" from The Chinkees… Are Coming! (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № MLXXXVI

Operation AXIOM: The Space Age—The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-51-B (№ 17), Part I
29 April 1985: Spacelab 3—The Space Shuttle Challenger OV-099 lifted off from Florida's K.S.C. with CDR Bob Overmyer, Pilot Fred Gregory, M.S.1 Don Lind, M.S.2/F.E. Norman Thagard, M.S.3 Bill Thornton, P.S.1 Lodewijk van den Berg, & P.S.2 Taylor Wang; "blow-by" damage to the Solid Rocket Booster O-rings prompted dire predictions of catastrophe within Morton-Thiokol, the S.R.B. maker.

Commentary: S.T.S.-51-B was the seventh flight of the Challenger OV-099.

The Challenger launched just ten days after Discovery landed at the conclusion of S.T.S.-51-D, presaging a new Space Shuttle cadance for 1985. No, you didn't miss a mission: Spacelab 3 flew before Spacelab 2. Also, as long as we have ordinal chaos, S.T.S.-51-B flew after both S.T.S.-51-C & S.T.S.-51-D.

Bonus! Space Age Song o' the Day: S.T.S.-51-B
They Might Be Giants, "Here Comes Science" from Here Comes Science (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № CMXCVII

Operation AXIOM: The Space Age—The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-9, Part II
29 November-8 December 1983: Spacelab 1—The crew split (Red Team: Young, Parker, Merbold & Blue Team: Shaw, Garriott, Lichtenberg) to conduct science twenty-four hours/day; they transmitted significant data to the ground through T.D.R.S.-1; two of the five AP-101B flight-control computers malfunctioned, but one was rebooted; after 167 orbits, the Columbia landed at California's Edwards.

Bonus! Space Age Song o' the Day: S.T.S.-9
Skameleon, "Alles Nur Geklaut" from Ska Makes Everything Better (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № CMXCV

Operation AXIOM: The Space Age—The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-9, Part I
28 November 1983: Spacelab 1—The Space Shuttle Columbia OV-102 lifted off from Florida's K.S.C. with CDR John Young, Pilot Brewster Shaw, M.S.1 Owen Garriott, M.S.2 Robert Parker, Payload Specialist 1* Ulf Merbold (European Space Agency), & P.S.2 Byron Lichtenberg, the largest crew yet; this was the first Shuttle flight of a non-U.S. citizen & of the E.S.A.'s Spacelab laboratory module.

Commentary: S.T.S.-9 was the sixth flight of the Columbia OV-102.

*Merbold (West German) & Lichtenberg (American) were the first Payload Specialists to fly. The difference between Mission Specialists & Payload Specialists is that M.S. were professional astronauts, trained as members of the Astronaut Corps & then assigned to missions, whereas P.S. were non-N.A.S.A. astronauts or other experts (commerical or academic researchers, later Congressmen & teachers) chosen for specific missions & then given astronaut training.

Bonus! Space Age Song o' the Day: S.T.S.-9
Goldfinger, "99 Red Balloons" from Stomping Ground (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.