- STS-27
Infobox Space mission
mission_name = STS-27
insignia = Sts-27-patch.svg
shuttle = Atlantis
launch_pad = 39-B
launch =December 2 ,1988 , 9:30:34 a.m. EST
landing =December 6 ,1988 , 3:36:11 p.m. PST
duration = 4d/09:05:37
altitude = Classified
inclination = 57.0 degrees
orbits = 68
distance = 1,820,000 miles (2,929,000 km)
crew_photo = Crew_STS-27.jpg
crew_caption =
previous =STS-26
next =STS-29 STS-27 was a
space shuttle mission byNASA using theSpace Shuttle Atlantis . It was the 27th shuttle mission, and the 3rd for "Atlantis", 2nd after the Challenger disaster. It carried a payload for theU.S. Department of Defense .Crew
"(total flights to date in parentheses)"
*
Robert L. Gibson (3), Commander
*Guy S. Gardner (1), Pilot
*Richard M. Mullane (2), Mission Specialist
*Jerry L. Ross (2), Mission Specialist
*William M. Shepherd (1), Mission SpecialistMission parameters
*
Mass : 14,500? kg Payload: Lacrosse 1 (radar reconnaissance) satellite
*Perigee : 437 km
*Apogee : 447 km
*Inclination : 57°
*Period: 93.4 minMission highlights
The Space Shuttle "Atlantis" (OV-104), at the time the youngest in
NASA 's fleet, made its third flight in a classified mission for the Department of Defense(DoD). It deployed a single satellite, [http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1988-106B USA-34] , which is widely believed to be the first of the Lacrosse radar imaging satellites.It was the 27th
Space Shuttle mission. Launch was originally scheduled Dec. 1, but was postponed one day because of cloud cover and strong wind conditions. Liftoff from Pad B, Launch Complex 39, KSC, on Dec. 2 was at 9:30 a.m. EST. The Orbiter "Atlantis" touched down Dec. 6 at Runway 17,Edwards AFB , CA, at 6:35 p.m. EST. The total mission elapsed time (wheels stop) was 4 days, 9 hours and 6 minutes.The orbiter's Thermal Protection System tiles sustained more-than-normal damage during the flight. A review panel investigating the damage found that the most probable cause was ablative insulating material from the right-hand solid rocket booster nose cap hitting the orbiter about 85 seconds into the flight. The crew noticed some of the damage during the flight, and showed mission control with one of the RMS cameras. However, due to the low resolution of the camera, mission control couldn't make out the damage, and pronounced it OK. Upon landing, over 700 damaged tiles were noted, and one tile was missing.
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-27/mission-sts-27.html NASA mission summary]
* [http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/shuttle27.htm STS-27 Video Highlights]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
