STS-38 (37)
- Atlantis
(7)
- Pad
39-A 39)
- 37th Shuttle mission
- 7th Flight OV-104
- 5th Rollback
- 5th Night launch
- Extended mission
- Diverted landing
- 6th KSC Landing
Crew:
- Richard
O. Covey (3), Commander
- Frank
L. Culbertson, Jr. (1), Pilot
- Robert
C. Springer (2), Mission Specialist 1
- Carl
J. Meade (1), Mission Specialist 2
- Charles
D. Gemar (1), Mission Specialist 3
Milestones:
- Flow A:
- OPF
- March 14, 1990
- VAB
- June 8, 1990
- PAD
- June 18, 1990
- Flow B (rollback):
- VAB
- Aug. 9,1990
- OPF
- Aug. 15, 1990
- VAB
- Oct. 2,1990
- PAD
- Oct. 12, 1990
Payload:
- DoD(7)
Mission Objectives:
- Click
here for Additional Info on STS-38
Launch:
- November 15, 1990, 6:48:13 p.m. EST. Launch originally
scheduled for July 1990. However, liquid hydrogen leak
found on orbiter Columbia
during STS-35
countdown prompted three precautionary tanking tests on Atlantis
at pad June 29, July 13 and July 25. Tests confirmed
hydrogen fuel leak on external tank- side of external
tank/orbiter 17-inch quick disconnect umbilical. Could
not repair at pad and Atlantis
rolled back to VAB
Aug. 9, demated and transferred to OPF. During rollback,
vehicle parked outside VAB
about a day while COLUMBIA/STS-35 stack transferred to
pad for launch. Outside, Atlantis suffered
minor hail damage to tiles during thunderstorm. After
repairs made in OPF, Atlantis transferred
to VAB
for mating Oct. 2. During hoisting operations, platform
beam that should have been removed from aft
compartment fell and caused minor damage which was repaired.
Vehicle rolled out to Pad A Oct. 12. Fourth mini-tanking
test performed Oct. 24, with no excessive hydrogen or
oxygen leakage detected. At Flight Readiness Review, launch
date set for Nov. 9. Launch reset for Nov. 15 due to
payload problems. Liftoff occurred during classified
launch window lying within launch period extending from
6:30 to 10:30 p.m. EST, Nov. 15, 1990. Launch Weight:
Classified.
Orbit:
- Altitude: 142
- Inclination: 28.5
- Orbits: 79
- Duration: 4 days, 21 hours, 54 minutes, 31 seconds.
- Distance: 2,030,000 miles
Hardware:
- SRB:
BI-039
- SRM: 360W012
- ET
: 40/LWT-33
- MLP
: 1
- SSME-1:
SN-2019
- SSME-2:
SN-2022
- SSME-3:
SN-2027
Landing:
- November 20, 1990, 4:42:42 p.m. EST, Runway 33, Kennedy
Space Center, Fla. Rollout distance: 9,032 feet. Rollout
time: 57 seconds. Mission extended one day due to unacceptable
crosswinds at original planned landing site, Edwards.
Continued adverse conditions led to decision to shift
landing to KSC. First KSC landing for Atlantis,
first end-of-mission landing at KSC since April 1985.
Landing Weight: 191,091 lbs.
Mission Highlights:
- Seventh mission dedicated to Department of Defense.
Back
to Dick Covey's Missions
This
page hosted by
Get your own Free Home Page
