#sts-11

Landing of Shuttle Challenger at the Kennedy Space Center following the completion of STS-41-B Mission.

"A chase plane gets a 'front row' position to view the touchdown of the total landing gear of the Space Shuttle Challenger as the reusable spacecraft makes NASA's first landing on the runway at the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) landing facility. This photograph was taken from another T-38 chase plane."

Date: February 27, 1984

"A fixed camera on astronaut Bruce McCandless II's helmet recorded this rare scene of the Space Shuttle Challenger some 50 to 60 meters away during a history-making extravehicular activity (EVA), February 7, 1984. The Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS-01A) is configured mid-cargo bay. Astronaut Robert L. Stewart, standing beneath the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm, later donned the same Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) which afforded McCandless the freedom of movement to record this image. Also visible in the cargo bay are the support stations for the two MMU back-packs, the sunshields for the Palapa B and Westar VI Satellites, KU-Band antenna and a number of Getaway Special (GAS) canisters."

Date: February 7, 1984

Reference guide of all the external changes made to the Space Shuttle Orbiter Challenger (OV-099) during her lifetime.

Date: 1983-1985

Views of the Challenger landing at Kennedy to end shuttle mission 41-B

"Shortly after sunrise the space shuttle orbiter Challenger touches down on the KSC runway at 7:16 a.m. The T-38 escort chase plane is seen just above the orbiter. The historic first landing at KSC brought to a conclusion an eight-day mission that started at 8:00 a.m. Feb. 3, 1984. The STS-41-B mission had several other firsts including an untethered spacewalk made by two of the astronauts."

Date: February 11, 1984

"Ground crew members perform initial post-landing procedures on orbiter Challenger as the the crew, the first-ever to experience both launch and landing at KSC, prepare to exit the spaceship. Touchdown was at 7:15:55 a.m. EST on Feb. 11. Crew members for the historic Mission 41-B STS-11 are Commander Vance D. Brand, Pilot Robert L.'Hoot' Gibson, and Mission Specialists Bruce McCandless II, Robert L. Stewart and Ronald E. McNair."

Date: February 11, 1984

"This scenic panorama of billowy clouds over the Atlantic and Florida and the contrasting addition of mankind's technology into the picture was provided by astronaut John W. Young and a handheld camera in the cockpit of NASA's Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) moments after the 226 tons of spacecraft hardware were lifted off Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Launch Pad 39A. Inside the Space Shuttle Challenger (STS 41-B), attached here to its two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) and External Fuel Tank (ET), were astronauts Vance D. Brand, Robert L. Gibson, Ronald E. McNair, Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart."

Date: February 3, 1984

source

"Space Shuttle Challenger's port payload bay door (PLBD) opens over the STS-41-B cargo including the Westar VI and Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS-01A), and the remote manipulator system (RMS) arm stowed on the port side sill longeron. The entire scene is in darkness as the door opens except for the tail which is reflecting sunlight, until scene (0048) when the door is completely open and the sun illuminates the cargo bay. The environmental protective cover over the Westar VI satellite is open during PLBD opening."

Date: February 3, 1984

This was the tenth NASA Space Shuttle mission and the fourth flight of Space Shuttle Challenger.

It deployed two communications satellites and included the first untethered spacewalk.

"Following STS-9, the flight numbering system for the Space Shuttle program was changed. Because the original successor to STS-9, STS-10, was canceled due to payload delays, the next flight, originally and internally designated STS-11, became STS-41-B as part of the new numbering system."

"Standing: Mission Specialists Robert L. Stewart, Ronald McNair and Bruce McCandless II. Stewart and McCandless are wearing Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs). Seated: Vance D. Brand and Robert L. Gibson"

Mission duration: February 3 to 11, 1983

NASA ID: 8439940, MSFC-8438670