Friday, December 27, 1996

STS-62 (Columbia)

 1994-015A


STS-62 was launched on 1994 Mar 4 on a research flight. The USMP microgravity payload was the main science. 55 melting and solidification cycles were carried out for the MEPHISTO experiment to study phase transitions. The IDGE experiment showed that dendritic solidification of molten metals happened at a different rate when supercooling effects are low. The Zeno experiment located the critical point of xenon to an accuracy of 10 microKelvins.

The OAST-2 payload studied spacecraft glow and carried out technology tests.The DEED dexterous end effector demonstration was used on the end of the robot arm, using its MAT magnetic attachment tool to pick up objects and a mirror to reflect its target to a payload bay video camera. MAT and a task bar were stored on an ESAP (GABA) plate on the sidewall. The DEE was used successfully, and the MAT could grapple objects within a distance of 1 cm, although there were problems in daylight with aligning the tool.


STS-62 mission events 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1994 Feb 3   Rollover  VAB 
1994 Feb 10   Rollout  LC39B 
1994 Mar 4  1353:00  Launch  LC39B 
 1355:06  SRB sep 
 1401:31  MECO  80 x 285 x 39.0 
 1401:50  ET sep  88.31 85 x 295 x 39.0 (OMS dV) 
 1435:20  OMS 2 2:12 64m/s 90.53 296 x 304 x 39.0 
 1437:32  OMS 2 CO
 1528  PLBD open 
 1843  RMS uncradle 
 2018  RMS grapple DEE MAT 
 2030?  RMS unberth DEE MAT 
 2100?  RMS reberth DEE 
 2138  RMS cradle 
1994 Mar 8  2100   90.54 297 x 305 x 39.0 
1994 Mar 12  1453  RMS unberthed, camera used to monitor EISG payload 
 1540  RMS reberthed 
1994 Mar 13  1300   90.51 296 x 303 x 39.0 
1994 Mar 14  0702:39  OMS 3R 42s 10m/s 
 0703:21  OMS 3 CO  260 x 303 x 39.0  
 0743:29  OMS 4L 47s 11m/s  
 0744:16  OMS 4 CO  89.73 255 x 266 x 39.0 
 0837  RMS unberthed 
 0855  RMS grapple DEE 
 0900? RMS unberth DEE 
1994 Mar 14  0900  89.73 256 x 266 x 39.01 
 1150  DEE ops underway 
 1500? DEE berthed? 
 1620  DEE ungrappled 
1994 Mar 15   RMS ops with DEE 
 0701  RCS tests for DSO 324 
 0732  RMS grapple DEE 
 0842  RMS/MAT grapple DEED task bar 
 1208  DEE RMS insertion task - in slot 
 1416  Task bar experiments finished 
 1530  MAT berthed and ungrappled 
1994 Mar 15  2200   89.72 256 x 265 x 39.0 
1994 Mar 16  0808:33  OMS 5 (OAST 2) 37s 19m/s 89.04 199 x 254 x 39.01 
 0809:10  OMS 5 CO 
 1043  RMS grapple DEE/MAT 
 1300?  RMS berth, ungrapple MAT 
1994 Mar 17  1031  RMS cradled 
1994 Mar 18  0600   89.03 199 x 253 x 39.0 
 0934  PLBD closed
1994 Mar 18  1216:50 OMS DO 2:07 65m/s  
 1218:58 OMS DO CO  86.84 -17 x 253 x 39.0 
 1238:06  Entry interface 
 1309:41  MGTD 
  

 1310:00  NGTD 
 1310:35  Wheels stopped

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May 13,2026

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