1984-011A
The STS-11 mission was the first to fly under a revised numbering system. It was renamed mission 41-B. In this new system of two digits and a letter, the first digit represented the US fiscal year, so 4 meant that the launch had been first scheduled for FY84, which ran from Oct 1983 to Sep 1984. The B meant it was the second such mission (41-A retrospectively applying to either STS-9 or the cancelled STS-10, according to different sources). The second digit was always 1, which indicated launch from KSC - 2 was reserved for Vandenberg launches, but these never occurred. The new system was used in all public affairs releases and in JSC documents, but the old system was retained in parallel by KSC and I will use both systems. The old system was finally reinstated after the loss of mission 51-L.
Mission 41-B was launched on 1984 Feb 3. Westar 6 was deployed successfully on Feb 3, but unfortunately when the PAM-D motor fired it ended up in the wrong orbit. Next up was the IRT balloon, to be used for rendezvous tests, but it disintegrated upon inflation, so Challenger carried out maneuvers to rendezvous with a phantom target instead. On Feb 6 Palapa B2 was deployed, but met the same fate as Westar 6. The next day the mission's luck improved as McCandless and Stewart donned their spacesuits and headed into the payload bay at 1225. At 1310 the MMU-3 was checked out and at 1330 MS2 began the first MMU free flight, maneuvering it around the bay. At around 1405 McCandless flew it out to 50 m from the Orbiter and then returned to the bay; then out to 100m and back. Next he tested docking the T-PAD docking device to SPAS-1 in the payload bay. After this, Stewart took over MMU 3 in a 65 min flight which included more SPAS docking practice, while McCandless mounted the RMS arm for test of space repair tasks. By 1710 they returned to the cabin, and the airlock was repressurized after 5 h 55 min.
The second EVA began at 1040 on Feb 9. RMS problems prevented deployment of the SPAS target. EVA-2 saw McCandless fly the MMU-2 and carry out SPAS docking tests with the SPAS still latched in the bay. Then Stewart took out MMU-3 for a spin around the payload bay. Finally, Stewart carried out a Landsat refuelling simulation. The astronauts returned to the cabin at 1630 and the airlock was repressurized after 6h17m.
On Feb 11, Challenger was the first orbiter to land at the Shuttle Landing Facility.
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| STS 41-B |
| |
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| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|
|
| 1983 Sep 11 | | | OPF/1 |
| 1984 Jan 6 | | | VAB/3 |
| 1984 Jan 12 | | | LC39A |
| 1984 Feb 3 | 1300:00 | Launch | LC39A |
| | 1302:08 | SRB sep, 46.5 km |
| | 1308:41 | MECO, 110.0 km |
| | 1309:00 | ET sep, 111.6 km | 86.02 4 x 148 x 28.5 (dV) |
| | | | 86.02 -5 x 159 x 28.5 (dV) |
| | 1310:42 | OMS 1 (2:30) 75.2m/s | 95 x 306 |
| | 1313:12 | OMS 1 CO |
| | | | 88.55 100 x 304 x 28.47 (dV) |
| | 1324 | ET apogee |
| | 1345:25 | OMS 2 (2:05) 62.2m/s |
| | 1347:29 | OMS 2 CO |
| | 1347 | ET-10 breakup |
| | 1430 | PLBD open | 90.69 304 x 312 x 28.47 |
| | 2059:23 | Westar 6 deploy |
| | 2113:53 | OMS 3 sep (RH 14s) 3m/s | 90.80 306 x 321 x 28.5 |
| 1984 Feb 5 | 0026 | Mass 102719 |
| 1984 Feb 5 | 0844 | | 90.80 304 x 322 x 28.5 |
| | 1023:23 | OMS 4 (LH 31s) 8m/s | 90.66 296 x 317? x 28.5 |
| 1984 Feb 6 | 1108:32 | OMS 5, rv test (LH 42s) 11m/s | 90.27 279 x 296 x 28.5 |
| | 1151 | IRT deploy (disintegrated) |
| 1459 | | 90.24 276 x 295 x 28.5 |
| | 1513:16 | Palapa B2 deploy |
| | 1528:16 | OMS 6 sep (LH 12s) 3m/s |
| | 1625 | RCS, rendezvous practice |
| 1984 Feb 7 | 0830 | | 90.26 278 x 296 x 28.5 |
| | 1202 | Begin depress |
| | 1210 | EVA-1 to BP at 5psi (MR) |
| | 1216 | At 1psi |
| | 1217? | Depress |
| | 1222? | HO |
| 1984 Feb 7 | 1225 | EVA-1 egress (AWST) |
| | 1225 | Egress? |
| | 1230? | MS2 checking out MMU3 |
| | 1235? | MS2 begin MMU3 ops if flight is really 1:55 |
| | 1310? | MS2/MMU3 flight 1:55 |
| | 1318 | MS2 flying MMU3 |
| | 1330 | Begin translation out |
| | 1335 | Out to 50m |
| | 1355? | At 97m |
| | 1400 | Stewart working with MFR |
| | 1405 | Back near the FSS |
| | 1410 | Stewart working with TPAD |
| | 1430 | McC doffing MMU - end of MMU3 flight? |
| | 1435 | Recharging N2 on MMU |
| | 1440? | Stewart working on RMS/MFR |
| | 1452 | Stewart preparing for MMU |
| | 1510? | 65min MMU3/Stewart 1:09 |
| | 1522 | MMU3 around 20m |
| | | Break at 45 m |
| | 1528 | MMU3 at 92m |
| | 1609 | MMU3 work at TPAD/SPAS |
| | 1619? | Stewart docking MMU3, end of flt |
| | 1631 | Disconnecting TPAD from MMU |
| | 1646 | Stewart working at MMU |
| | 1650 | McC stowing at SESA |
| | 1720? | Retrieve bay camera D |
| | 1749 | Preparing for ingress |
| | 1752 | HC |
| | 1755? | Repress |
| | | Repress 5psi 5:55 |
| | 1805 | EVA-1 end (MR) 5:55 5 psi |
| | 1811 | In airlock, working SCU power |
| | 1959 | | 90.21 275 x 293 x 28.5 |
| 1984 Feb 8 | | SPAS in-bay activities |
| 1984 Feb 9 | 0909 | RMS unberthed |
| 1984 Feb 9 | 0923 | RMS wrist joint failure |
| | 1007 | RMS cradled |
| | 1020 | Airlock at 5 psi |
| 1984 Feb 9 | 1024 | EVA-2 depress (EVA begin, MR) - 5psi, on batt |
| | 1032? | Vac |
| | 1036 | HO |
| 1984 Feb 9 | 1040 | EVA-2 begin |
| | 1040 | McC egress |
| | | Stewart egress |
| | 1047 | McC repairing slidewire |
| | 1058 | Camera delta reinstalled |
| | 1137 | Checking out MMU 2 |
| | 1140? | (guess) MMU 2/McC flight 47 min |
| | 1227? | MMU2 flight end |
| | 1245? | MMU 2/St flight 44 min |
| | 1330? | Exit MMU |
| | 1335? | Foot restraint came free during SPAS repair test |
| | 1340? | EV-1 McCandless recovered and tethered foot restraint |
| | 1430? | MMU 3/McC flight 1:08 |
| | 1446? | Stewart hydrazine transfer test |
| | 1538? | MMU3 flight over |
| | 1624? | Ingress Stewart |
| | 1628? | Ingress McC |
| | 1630? | HC |
| | 1635 | Repressing |
| | 1641 | EVA-2 end (MR) 6:17 |
| | 1641 | SCU power 5 psi |
| 1984 Feb 10 | 0830s | RCS DTO burn |
| 1984 Feb 10 | 0918 | | 90.16 270 x 293 x 28.6 |
| 1984 Feb 11 | 0800? | PLBD closed | 90.16 269 x 294 x 28.6 |
| 1984 Feb 11 | 1116:15 | OMS DO (168s) 96.3m/s |
| | 1119:03 | OMS DO CO |
| | 1145:12 | Entry |
| | 1215:55 | Landed | RW15 KSC |
| | 1216:06 | NGTD |
| | 1216:59 | Wheels stop |
