STS-29

Infobox Space mission
mission_name = STS-29
insignia = Sts-29-patch.png shuttle = Discovery
launch_pad = 39-B
launch = March 13, 1989, 9:57:00 a.m. EST
landing = March 18, 1989, 6:35:51 a.m. PST, EAFB, Runway 22
duration = 4/23:38:52
altitude = 184 nautical miles (341 km)
inclination = 28.5 degrees
orbits = 80
distance = 2,000,000 miles (3,200,000 km)
crew_photo = STS-29_crew.jpg
crew_caption =
previous = STS-27
next = STS-30

STS-29 was a Space Shuttle "Discovery" mission to insert a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) into Earth's orbit. It was the third mission after the "Space Shuttle Challenger disaster", and launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on March 13, 1989.

Crew

"(total flights to date in parentheses)"

*Michael L. Coats (2), Commander
*John E. Blaha (1), Pilot
*James P. Bagian (1), Mission Specialist 1
*James F. Buchli (3), Mission Specialist 2
*Robert C. Springer (1), Mission Specialist 3

Mission parameters

*Mass:
**"Orbiter liftoff:" 116,281 kg
**"Orbiter landing:" 88,353 kg
**"Payload:" 17,280 kg
*Perigee: 297 km
*Apogee: 308 km
*Inclination: 28.5°
*Period: 90.6 min

Mission highlights

The Space Shuttle "Discovery" lifted off from Pad B, LaunchComplex 39, KSC, at 9:57 a.m. EST on March 13, 1989. Launch wasoriginally scheduled for Feb. 18, but was postponed to allow forreplacement of suspect liquid oxygen turbopumps on the three mainengines. The new target date of March 11 could not be made because ofthe failure of a master event controller when it was powered upduring prelaunch checkout. The controller was replaced. On therescheduled launch day of March 13, liftoff was held at T-9 minutesfor nearly two hours because of ground fog and high upper winds. Awaiver was approved for orbiter wing loads. This was the eighthflight of "Discovery" and the 28th Space Shuttle mission.

The primary payload was the third and final component of the
Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) constellation ingeosynchronous orbit. The three on-orbit satellites were stationedover the equator at about 22,300 miles above Earth; two of them 130degrees apart and a third located between them as an on-orbit spare.

On Flight Day 1, one of three cryogenic hydrogen tanks whichsupply the fuel cells that produce electricity exhibited erraticpressure fluctuations. It was deactivated while engineers studied theproblem, and the crew was told to conserve electrical power. The tankwas reactivated on Flight Day 3, March 15, and operated successfully.

Landing occurred March 18, 1989, on orbit 80, one orbit earlierthan planned, in order to avoid possible excessive wind buildupexpected at the landing site. Touchdown was on Runway 22 at EdwardsAFB, CA, at 9:35 a.m. EST. Total mission elapsed time was 4 days, 23hours, and 39 minutes.

Payload and Experiments. The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite(TDRS-D), which became TDRS-4 in space, and its attached InertialUpper Stage (IUS), were deployed from the payload bay less than sixhours after launch, at 3:12 a.m. EST. First-stage orbit burn of theIUS took place an hour later, and the second burn to circularize theorbit occurred at 12 hours, 30 minutes, mission elapsed time. It wasstationed at 41 degrees west longitude.There were eight secondary payloads, including two ShuttleStudent Involvement Program experiments. One student experiment,using four live rats with tiny pieces of bone removed, was to testwhether the environmental effects of space flight inhibit bonehealing. The other student experiment was to fly 32 chicken eggs todetermine the effects of space flight on fertilized chicken embryos.

One experiment, mounted in the payload bay, was only termed"partially successful." The Space Station Heat Pipe Advanced RadiatorElement, a potential cooling system for Space Station Freedom,operated continuously for less than 30 minutes under poweredelectrical loads. The failure was blamed on faulty design of theequipment, especially the manifold section.

All other experiments operated successfully. Crystals were obtained from all the proteins in the Protein Crystal Growth experiment. The Chromosomes and Plant Cell Division in Space (CHROMEX), a life sciences experiment, was designed to show the effects of microgravity on root development. The IMAX (70 mm) camera was used to film a variety of scenes, including the effects of floods, hurricanes, fires and volcanic eruptions on Earth.

Primary payload, Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-4 (TDRS-4) attached to an Inertial Upper Stage (IUS), became third TDRS deployed. After deployment, IUS propelled satellite to geosynchronous orbit. Secondary payloads: Orbiter Experiments Autonomous Supporting Instrumentation System-1 (OASIS-1); Space Station Heat Pipe Advanced Radiator Experiment (SHARE); Protein Crystal Growth (PCG); Chromosomes and Plant Cell Division (CHROMEX); two Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP) experiments; and Air Force experiment using orbiter as calibration target for ground-based experiment for Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) in Hawaii. Crew also photographed Earth with a hand-held IMAX camera.

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-29/mission-sts-29.html NASA mission summary]
* [http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/shuttle28.htm STS-29 Video Highlights]