STS-53 (Discovery)

 1992-086A

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The STS-53 flight was the final classified DoD mission. It is thought to have carried an SDS communications satellite which relays spy satellite imagery for the NRO.

An attempt to deploy the ODERACS calibration spheres failed. On day 6, the GLO experiment studied orbiter glow. 8 cycles of the CRYOHP heat pipe experiment were carried out, exceeding planned gaols.

STS-53
Date	Time	Event	Orbit
1992 Aug 8		Storage	VAB/2
1992 Aug 17		Tow to OPF	OPF/3
1992 Nov		Tow to VAB
1992 Nov 8		Rollout	LC39A
1992 Dec 2	1324:00	Launch from LC39A
	1326:06	SRB sep
	1332:35	MECO	88.41 19 x 373 x 57.0 (OMS dV)
	1332:52	ET-49 sep
	1400:53	OMS-2 3:24 103 m/s
	1404:18	OMS-2 CO
	1451		91.98 366 x 377 x 57.0
	1506	PLBD open
	1918	DoD-1 deploy
	1938	RCS Sep burn 19s	92.03 369 x 379 x 57.0
1992 Dec 3	1229		92.04 369 x 379 x 57.0
	1943:11	OMS-3L lower orbit 50s 14m/s
	1944:01	OMS-3 CO	90.97 316 x 327 x 57.0
	2026:03	OMS-4R 51s 15m/s
	2026:54	OMS-4 CO	91.01 317 x 330 x 57.0
1992 Dec 4	0000		91.01 317 x 331 x 57.0
	1122	ODERACS ft deploy
1992 Dec 7	0855	Mass check 92525 kg	91.02 317 x 331 x 57.0
	1915:00	OMS-5R Lower apogee 11s 3m/s
	1915:11	OMS-5 CO	90.93 316 x 322 x 57.0
	0829		90.91 317 x 321 x 57.0
1992 Dec 9	0212	RCS COLA 8s 0.6m/s
	1539	PLBD closed	90.91 316 x 320 x 57.0
	1943:20	OMS DO (2:30) 90m/s
	1945:50	OMS DO CO
	2012:12	Entry
	2043:32	Gear down
	2043:47	Landed RW22 EAFB
	2044:02	Chute
	2044:03	NGTD
	2044:26	Chute release
	2044:56	Wheels stop
1992 Dec 17	1315	SCA takeoff	EAFB
	1900	SCA landing	Columbus AFB MS
1992 Dec 18	0745	SCA takeoff
	1220	SCA landing	Eglin AFB FL
	1400	SCA takeoff
	1545	SCA landing	KSC SLF
	1800	Tow to OPF/3