STS-6 182625 210617728 2008-05-06T18:06:29Z MBK004 4916882 Added {{[[Template:nofootnotes|nofootnotes]]}} tag to article. using [[WP:FRIENDLY|Friendly]] {{nofootnotes|date=May 2008}} {{Infobox Space mission | mission_name = STS-6 | insignia = Sts-6-patch.png | shuttle = Challenger | launch_pad = 39-A | launch = [[April 4]], [[1983]], 18:30:00 [[UTC]] | landing = [[April 9]], [[1983]], 18:53:42 UTC <br /> [[Edwards Airforce Base]] | duration = 5d/00:23:42 | altitude = 330 km | inclination = 28.5° | distance = 3,370,437 km | crew_photo = Sts-6-crew.jpg | crew_caption = L-R Peterson, Weitz, Musgrave, Bobko | previous = [[STS-5]] [[Image:Sts-5-patch.png|35px|STS-5]]| | next = [[STS-7]] [[Image:Sts-7-patch.png|35px|STS-7]] }} '''STS-6''' was a [[Space Shuttle]] mission conducted by [[NASA]] using [[Space Shuttle Challenger | Space Shuttle ''Challenger'']]. Launched [[April 4]], [[1983]], STS-6 was the sixth space shuttle mission and the first of the ten missions flown on ''Challenger''. The mission took off from [[Kennedy Space Center]] launch pad 39-A, and landed at [[Edwards Air Force Base]]. == Crew == <small>Number in parentheses indicates number of spaceflights by each individual prior to and including this mission.</small> *[[Paul J. Weitz]] (2) - Commander *[[Karol J. Bobko]] (1) - Pilot *[[Donald H. Peterson]] (1) - Mission Specialist *[[F. Story Musgrave]] (1) - Mission Specialist ==Mission parameters== *'''[[Mass]]:''' **''Orbiter Liftoff:'' 116,457 kg **''Orbiter Landing:'' 86,330 kg **''Payload:'' 21,305 kg *'''[[Perigee]]:''' 288 km *'''[[Apogee]]:''' 295 km *'''[[Inclination]]:''' 28.5° *'''[[Orbital period|Period]]:''' 90.4 min ===Space walk=== * ''''' Musgrave and Peterson ''''' - EVA 1 *'''EVA 1 Start''': [[April 7]], [[1983]], 21:05 UTC *'''EVA 1 End''': April 8, 01:15 UTC *'''Duration''': 4 hours, 10 minutes == Mission highlights == [[Image:STS-6 TDRS-A deploy preparations.jpg|thumb|left|175px|The TDRS is deployed]] [[Image:STS-6 EVA.jpg|thumb|left|175px|Musgrave during the EVA]] On [[April 4]] [[1983]] STS-6, the first ''Challenger'' mission, lifted off at 1:30 p.m. [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|EST]]. It was the first use of a new lightweight [[Space Shuttle External Tank|external tank]] and lightweight [[Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster|SRB]] casings. The mission originally had been scheduled for launch on [[January 30]] [[1983]]. However, a [[hydrogen]] leak in one of the [[Space shuttle main engines|main engines]] was discovered. Later, after a flight readiness firing of the main engines on [[January 25]] [[1983]], fuel line cracks were found in the other two engines. A spare engine replaced the engine with the hydrogen leak and the other two engines were removed, repaired and reinstalled. Meanwhile, as the engine repairs were underway, a severe storm caused contamination of the primary cargo for the mission, the first [[Tracking and Data Relay Satellite]] (TDRS), while it was in the Payload Changeout Room on the Rotating Service Structure at the launch pad. This meant the satellite had to be taken back to its checkout facility where it was cleaned and rechecked. The Payload Changeout Room and the payload bay also had to be cleaned. STS-6 carried a crew of four -- [[Paul J. Weitz]], commander; [[Karol J. Bobko]], pilot; [[Donald H. Peterson]] and [[Story Musgrave]], both mission specialists. Using new [[space suit]]s designed specifically for the Space Shuttle, Peterson and Musgrave successfully accomplished the program's first [[extravehicular activity]] (EVA), performing various tests in the [[payload bay]]. Their space walk lasted for 4 hours, 17 minutes. Although the 5,000-lb. TDRS was successfully deployed from the ''Challenger'', its two-stage booster rocket, the [[Inertial Upper Stage]] (IUS), tumbled out of control, placing the satellite into a low [[elliptical orbit]]. Fortunately, the satellite contained extra propellant beyond what was needed for its attitude control system thrusters, and during the next several months the thrusters were fired at carefully planned intervals gradually moving TDRS-l into its [[geosynchronous orbit|geosynchronous]] operating orbit thus saving the $100-million satellite. Other STS-6 cargo included three [[Getaway Special|GAS]] canisters and continuation of the Monodisperse Latex Reactor and the Continuous Flow Electrophoresis experiments. ''Challenger'' returned to [[Earth]] on [[April 9]] [[1983]] at 10:53 a.m. [[Pacific Standard Time Zone|PST]], landing on Runway 22 at [[Edwards AFB]]. It completed 80 orbits, traveling 2 million miles in 5 days, 23 minutes, 42 seconds. It was flown back to KSC on [[April 16]] [[1983]]. == Mission insignia == The six white stars in the upper blue field of the mission patch tell the flight's numerical designation in the Space Transportation System's mission sequence. ==See also== * [[Space science]] * [[Space shuttle]] * [[Space Shuttle Challenger]] * [[List of space shuttle missions]] * [[List of human spaceflights chronologically]] == External links == * [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/archives/sts-6.html STS-6 Mission Data] * [http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/chron/sts-6.htm STS-6 Mission Chronology] * [http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/shuttle06.htm STS-6 Video Highlights] {{Space Shuttle Challenger}} {{DEFAULTSORT:STS-006}} [[Category:Space Shuttle missions]] [[Category:1983 in space exploration]] [[Category:1983 in the United States]] [[cs:STS-6]] [[da:STS-6]] [[de:STS-6]] [[es:STS-6]] [[fr:STS-6]] [[it:STS-6]] [[he:STS-6]] [[hu:STS–6]] [[nl:STS-6]] [[ja:STS-6]] [[no:STS-6]] [[nn:STS-6]] [[pl:STS-6]] [[pt:STS-6]] [[ru:Челленджер STS-6]] [[sk:STS-6]] [[sv:STS-6]] [[zh:STS-6]]