STS-28

STS-28 was the fourth shuttle mission dedicated to United States Department of Defense, and first flight of "Columbia" since mission STS-61-C. The details of the mission are classified.

Infobox Space mission
mission_name = STS-28
insignia = Sts-28-patch.png shuttle = Columbia
launch_pad = 39-B
launch = August 8, 1989, 8:37:00 a.m. EDT
landing = August 13, 1989, 6:37:08 a.m. PDT, EAFB, Runway 17
duration = 5/01:00:08
altitude = Classified (although based on distance traveled and number of orbits, this would be between 220 and 380 km)
inclination = 57.0 degrees
orbits = 81
distance = 2,100,000 miles (3,400,000 km)
crew_photo = Sts-28_crew.jpg
crew_caption =
previous = STS-30
next = STS-34

Crew

"(total flights to date in parentheses)"

*Brewster H. Shaw, Jr. (3), Commander
*Richard N. Richards (1), Pilot
*James C. Adamson (1), Mission Specialist 1
*David C. Leestma (2), Mission Specialist 2
*Mark N. Brown (1), Mission Specialist 3

Mission parameters

*Mass: 19,600? kg Payload Satellite Data System satellite?
*Perigee: 289 km
*Apogee: 306 km
*Inclination: 57.0°
*Period: 90.5 min

Mission highlights

Columbia deployed two satellites, [http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1989-061B 1989-061B] (USA-40) and [http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1989-061C 1989-061C] (USA-41). Early reports speculated that STS-28's primary payload was an Advanced KH-11 photo-reconnaissance satellite. Later reports and amateur satellite observations of the satellites suggest that USA-40 was a second-generation Satellite Data System relay like that launched on STS-53. [http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Feb-1996/0018.html]

The pioneering Space Shuttle Orbiter "Columbia" (OV-102), the first operational reusable spaceship in NASA's fleet, lifted off from Pad 39B, Launch Complex 39, KSC, on 8 August 1989. Liftoff time was 8:37 a.m. EDT. It was the 30th flight of the Space Shuttle, and the first flight of the refurbished "Columbia" since the 61-C mission on 12 January 1986. Landing was at Edwards AFB, CA, at 9:37 p.m. EDT. The mission lasted for 5 days and 1 hour. During the flight, the crew shut down a thruster in the reaction control system (RCS) because of indications of a leak. Also, an RCS heater malfunctioned.

Post-flight analysis of STS-28 discovered unusual heating of the thermal protection system (TPS) during re-entry. A detailed report ( [http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/news/columbia/sts28r_earlyboundary.pdf] identified protruding gap filler as the likely cause. This filler material is the same material which was removed during a spacewalk on the STS-114 Return to Flight mission in 2005.

ee also

* Space science
* Space shuttle
* List of space shuttle missions
* List of human spaceflights chronologically

External links

* [http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-28/mission-sts-28.html NASA mission summary]
* [http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/shuttle30.htm STS-28 Video Highlights]