STS-51-J was the 21st NASA Space Shuttle mission and the first flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis. It launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on October 3, 1985, carrying a payload for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on October 7, 1985.
![]() Maiden launch of Atlantis; in-flight photography on this Department of Defense mission is limited | |
Names | Space Transportation System-21 |
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Mission type | Satellite deployment |
Operator | NASA / U.S. DoD |
COSPAR ID | 1985-092A ![]() |
SATCAT no. | 16115 |
Mission duration | 4 days, 1 hour, 44 minutes, 38 seconds (achieved) |
Distance travelled | 2,707,948 km (1,682,641 mi) |
Orbits completed | 64 |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft | Space Shuttle Atlantis |
Launch mass | N/A |
Landing mass | 86,400 kg (190,500 lb) |
Payload mass | 19,968 kg (44,022 lb) |
Crew | |
Crew size | 5 |
Members | |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | October 3, 1985, 15:15:30 UTC |
Rocket | Space Shuttle Atlantis |
Launch site | Kennedy Space Center, LC-39A |
Contractor | Rockwell International |
End of mission | |
Landing date | October 7, 1985, 17:00:08 UTC |
Landing site | Edwards Air Force Base, Runway 23 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
Regime | Low Earth orbit |
Perigee altitude | 475 km (295 mi) |
Apogee altitude | 484 km (301 mi) |
Inclination | 28.50° |
Period | 94.20 minutes |
![]() STS-51-J mission patch ![]() Back row: David C. Hilmers, William A. Pailes Seated: Robert L. Stewart, Karol J. Bobko, Ronald J. Grabe Space Shuttle program |
Position | Astronaut | |
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Commander | Karol J. Bobko Third and last spaceflight | |
Pilot | Ronald J. Grabe First spaceflight | |
Mission Specialist 1 | David C. Hilmers First spaceflight | |
Mission Specialist 2 | Robert L. Stewart Second and last spaceflight | |
Payload Specialist 1 | William A. Pailes, MSE Only spaceflight |
Position | Astronaut | |
---|---|---|
Payload Specialist 1 | Michael W. Booen, MSE First spaceflight |
All five astronauts on the secret mission were active-duty military officers.[1] Before William A. Pailes was assigned to the STS-51-J flight, Mike Mullane was rumored to have been assigned as Mission Specialist 3 on his second trip to space.
STS-51-J launched on October 3, 1985, at 15:15:30 UTC (11:15:30 a.m. EDT), from Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. The launch was delayed by 22 minutes and 30 seconds due to a problem with a main engine liquid hydrogen prevalve close remote power controller; the controller was showing a faulty "on" indication.
The mission was the second shuttle flight totally dedicated to deploying a United States Department of Defense payload,[1] after STS-51-C. Its cargo was classified, but it was reported that two (USA-11 and USA-12) DSCS-III (Defense Satellite Communications System) satellites were launched into stationary orbits by an Inertial Upper Stage (IUS). The DSCS satellites used X-band frequencies (8/7 GHz). Each DSCS-III satellite had a design life of ten years, although several of the DSCS satellites have far exceeded their design life expectancy.[2]
The mission was deemed successful. After a flight lasting 4 days, 1 hour, 44 minutes and 38 seconds, Atlantis landed on Runway 23 at Edwards Air Force Base at 17:00:08 UTC (13:00:08 EDT) on October 7, 1985. During STS-51-J, mission commander Bobko became the first astronaut to fly on three different shuttle orbiters, and the only astronaut to fly on the maiden voyages of two different orbiters.
Attempt | Planned | Result | Turnaround | Reason | Decision point | Weather go (%) | Notes |
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1 | 3 Oct 1985, 2:53:00 pm | delayed | — | technical | faulty indication from main engine liquid hydrogen prevalve close remote power controller | ||
2 | 3 Oct 1985, 3:15:30 pm | success | 0 days, 0 hours, 23 minutes |
The 51-J mission insignia, designed by Atlantis's first crew, pays tribute to the Statue of Liberty and the ideas it symbolizes, but also as not to emphasize the "classified" nature of the mission like the first one did. The historical gateway figure bears additional significance for astronauts Karol J. Bobko, mission commander; and Ronald J. Grabe, pilot, both New York City natives.
Space Shuttle Atlantis (OV-104) | ||
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Completed flights | ||
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On display |
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← 1984 · Orbital launches in 1985 · 1986 → | |
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Sakigake | Kosmos 1616 | Kosmos 1617 · Kosmos 1618 · Kosmos 1619 · Kosmos 1620 · Kosmos 1621 · Kosmos 1622 | Molniya-3 No.36 | Kosmos 1623 | Kosmos 1624 | Gorizont No.21L | Kosmos 1625 | Kosmos 1626 | STS-51-C (USA-8) | Kosmos 1627 | Kosmos 1628 | Meteor-2 No.13 | USA-9 | Arabsat-1A · Brasilsat A1 | Kosmos 1629 | Kosmos 1630 | Kosmos 1631 | Kosmos 1632 | Kosmos 1633 | Geosat | Kosmos 1634 | Kosmos 1635 · Kosmos 1636 · Kosmos 1637 · Kosmos 1638 · Kosmos 1639 · Kosmos 1640 · Kosmos 1641 · Kosmos 1642 | Ekran No.28L | Intelsat VA F-10 | Kosmos 1643 | Kosmos 1644 | STS-51-D (Anik C1 · Leasat 3) | Unnamed | Kosmos 1645 | Kosmos 1646 | Kosmos 1647 | Kosmos 1648 | Prognoz 10 | STS-51-B (Nusat) | GStar-1 · Telecom 1B | Kosmos 1649 | Kosmos 1650 · Kosmos 1651 · Kosmos 1652 | Kosmos 1653 | Kosmos 1654 | Molniya-3 No.39 | Kosmos 1655 | Kosmos 1656 | Soyuz T-13 | Kosmos 1657 | Kosmos 1658 | Kosmos 1659 | Kosmos 1660 | STS-51-G (Morelos 1 · Arabsat-1B · Telstar 3D · SPARTAN-101) | Kosmos 1661 | Kosmos 1662 | Progress 24 | Kosmos 1663 | Unnamed | Kosmos 1664 | Intelsat VA F-11 | Giotto | Kosmos 1665 | Kosmos 1666 | Kosmos 1667 | Kosmos 1668 | Molniya-3 No.37 | Kosmos 1669 | STS-51-F (PDP) | Kosmos 1670 | Kosmos 1671 | Transit-O 24 · Transit-O 30 | Kosmos 1672 · Kosmos 1672 | Kosmos 1673 | Kosmos 1674 | Gran' No.26L | Kosmos 1675 | Kosmos 1676 | Suisei | Molniya-1 No.61 | Kosmos 1677 | STS-51-I (Aussat A1 · ASC-1 · Leasat 4) | Unnamed | Kosmos 1678 | Kosmos 1679 | Kosmos 1680 | Kosmos 1681 | ECS-3 · Spacenet 3 | Soyuz T-14 | Kosmos 1682 | Kosmos 1683 | Kosmos 1684 | Kosmos 1685 | Kosmos 1686 | Intelsat VA F-12 | Kosmos 1687 | Kosmos 1688 | Kosmos 1689 | Molniya-3 No.38 | STS-51-J (USA-11 · USA-12) | USA-10 | Kosmos 1690 · Kosmos 1695 · Kosmos 1692 · Kosmos 1693 · Kosmos 1694 · Kosmos 1691 | Kosmos 1696 | Fanhui Shi Weixing 8 | Kosmos 1697 | Kosmos 1698 | Molniya-1 No.73 | Unnamed | Meteor-3 No.2 | Kosmos 1699 | Kosmos 1700 | Molniya-1 No.56 | STS-61-A (GLOMR) | Kosmos 1701 | Kosmos 1702 | Gran' No.28L | Kosmos 1703 | STS-61-B (Morelos 2 · Aussat A2 · Satcom K2 · OEX · EASE/ACCESS) | Kosmos 1704 | Kosmos 1705 | Kosmos 1706 | Kosmos 1707 | USA-13 · USA-14 | Kosmos 1708 | Kosmos 1709 | Molniya-3 No.40 | Kosmos 1710 · Kosmos 1711 · Kosmos 1712 | Meteor-2 No.14 | Kosmos 1713 | Kosmos 1714 | |
Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( | ). Crewed flights are indicated in underline. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in (brackets). |