STS-80 was a Space Shuttle mission flown by Space Shuttle Columbia. The launch was originally scheduled for October 31, 1996, but was delayed to November 19 for several reasons.[1] Likewise, the landing, which was originally scheduled for December 5, was pushed back to December 7 after bad weather prevented landing for two days.[2]
It was the longest Shuttle mission ever flown at 17 days, 15 hours, and 53 minutes.[2]
Although two spacewalks were planned for the mission, they were both canceled after problems with the airlock hatch prevented astronauts Tom Jones and Tammy Jernigan from exiting the orbiter.[3]
The mission deployed two satellites and successfully recovered them after they had performed their tasks.[1]
Orbiting and Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer-Shuttle Pallet Satellite II (ORFEUS-SPAS II) was deployed on flight day one.[5] It was captured on flight day sixteen.[6]
The Wake Shield Facility-3 was deployed on flight day 4, and was recaptured three days later.[1]
The mission was the longest mission in Space Shuttle history.[7]
Musgrave also tied a record for spaceflights, and set a record for being the oldest man in space.[1] Both records have since been surpassed.[9][10]
Two spacewalks were planned for the mission but were canceled after astronauts Tom Jones and Tammy Jernigan discovered the outer hatch of the airlock was jammed.[11] The jam was attributed to a loose screw that may have fell during its installation.[12]
The payload being prepared for launch in a transfer container. Visible is the WSF-3 (being lowered in), and ORFEUS-SPAS II (Already in place)
Columbia brought with it two free floating satellites, both of which were on repeat visits to space. Also, a variety of equipment to be tested on two planned spacewalks was part of the payload. These would have been used to prepare for construction of the International Space Station. Included in the Shuttle's payload were:[1]
Orbiting and Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer-Shuttle Pallet Satellite II (ORFEUS-SPAS II)
Far Ultraviolet (FUV) Spectrograph
Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Spectrograph
Interstellar Medium Absorption Profile Spectrograph (IMAPS)
Columbia carried into orbit two satellites that were released and recaptured after some time alone. The first was the Orbiting and Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer-Shuttle Pallet Satellite II (ORFEUS-SPAS II). The main component of the satellite, the ORFEUS telescope, had two spectrographs, for far and extreme ultraviolet.
Another spectrograph, the Interstellar Medium Absorption Profile Spectrograph, was also on board the satellite. Several payloads not relevant to astronomy rounded out the satellite. It performed without problems for its flight, taking 422 observations of almost 150 astronomical bodies, ranging from the Moon to extra-galactic stars and a quasar. Being the second flight of ORFEUS-SPAS II allowed for more sensitive equipment, causing it to provide more than twice the data of its initial run.[1]
Also deployed from Columbia was the Wake-Shield Facility (WSF), a satellite that created an ultra-vacuum behind it, allowing for the creation of semiconductor thin films for use in advanced electronics. WSF created seven films before being recaptured by Columbia's robotic arm after three days of flight.[1] The 12-foot-diameter (3.7 m) craft was on its third mission, including STS-60, when hardware problems prevented it from deploying off the robotic arm. Wake Shield was designed and built by the Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center at the University of Houston in conjunction with its industrial partner, Space Industries, Inc.[13]
Another inclusion was a Space Experiment Module (SEM).[13] The SEM included student research projects selected to fly into space.[14] This was the first flight of the program.[15] Among the experiments conducted were analysis of bacteria growth on food in orbit, crystal growth in space, and microgravity's effect on a pendulum.[16]
NIH.R4 was an experiment conducted for the National Institute of Health and Oregon Health Sciences University.[13] It was designed to test the effects of spaceflight on circulation and vascular constriction.[17] Biological Research in Canister (BRIC) explored gravity's effects on tobacco and tomato seedlings. Visualization in an Experimental Water Capillary Pumped Loop (VIEW-CPL) was conducted to test a new idea in thermal spacecraft management.[18] The Commercial MDA ITA Experiment were a variety of experiments submitted by high school and middle school students sponsored by Information Technology Associates.[19]
Columbia is rolled out to launch pad 39BLaunch of STS-80
Astronauts were selected for the mission on January 17, 1996.[20] Stacking of the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) began September 9, 1996.[21] On September 18, the launch date was bumped back from no earlier than (NET) October 31 to November 8.[22] Payload doors were closed on September 25.[23] The following day, the External fuel tank was mated to the SRBs inside the Vehicle Assembly Building.[24]
Further progress was delayed while two windows on the orbiter were replaced; NASA feared that they might be susceptible to breakage after seven and eight flights.[25]Columbia was rolled over to the VAB on October 9 to begin final assembly preparations.[26]
STS-80 Landing
On October 11, Columbia was mated with the external fuel tank, and the payload was delivered and transferred.[27] Rollout to Pad 39B occurred on October 16, which was followed by flight readiness checks of the main propulsion system.[28]
After a Flight Readiness Review on October 28, an additional FRR was requested to further analyze the Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) due to nozzle erosion that occurred on STS-79; on the 29th, a fuel pump failed, delaying the fueling process of Columbia.[29] The erosion problem led to a week long delay instituted on November 4.[30] A launch date of November 15 was set, contingent on a successful Atlas launch two days prior.[31] The forecast of bad weather pushed the launch back even further, to a date of November 19.[32]
NASA began a tradition of playing music to astronauts during the Gemini program, which was first used to wake up a flight crew during Apollo 15.[33]
Each track is specially chosen, often by their families, and usually has a special meaning to an individual member of the crew, or is applicable to their daily activities.[33][34]
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
