NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

STS-51-F

Launch Time
Mon Jul 29, 1985 21:00 UTC

The first and only abort to orbit in the Shuttle program. A Faulty temperature sensor incorrectly indicated that fuel turbine discharge temperature exceeded the limit. Therefore, one main engine was shut down at T+345 s, resulting in a much lower orbit than planned.
All mission objectives were still achieved.

Rocket

Space Shuttle Challenger
NASA
Status: Retired
Price: $450.0 million
Liftoff Thrust: 30,250 kN
Payload to LEO: 27,500 kg
Payload to GTO: 3,810 kg
Stages: 2
Strap-ons: 2
Rocket Height: 56.1 m

Vehicles

Edwards Runway 23

OV-099

Flight #8
91 day turnaround

Mission Details

STS-51-F

While STS-51-F's primary payload was the Spacelab 2 laboratory module, the payload that received the most publicity was the Carbonated Beverage Dispenser Evaluation, which was an experiment in which both Coca-Cola and Pepsi tried to make their carbonated drinks available to astronauts. A helium-cooled infrared telescope (IRT) was also flown on this mission, and while it did have some problems, it observed 60% of the galactic plane.

Total Mass: 16,309.0 kg
Low Earth Orbit

Location

LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA

Stats

1985

64th orbital launch attempt

Space Shuttle

19th mission
5th mission of 1985
19th successful mission