#sts-51f

"This illustration depicts the configuration of the Spacelab-2 in the cargo bay of the orbiter. Spacelab was a versatile laboratory carried in the Space Shuttle's cargo bay for scientific research flights. Each Spacelab mission had a unique design appropriate to the mission's goals. A number of Spacelab configurations could be assembled from pressurized habitation modules and exposed platforms called pallets. Spacelab-2 was the first pallet-only mission. One of the goals of the mission was to verify that the pallets' configuration was satisfactory for observations and research. Except for two biological experiments and an experiment that used ground-based instruments, the Spacelab-2 scientific instruments needed direct exposure to space. On the first pallet, three solar instruments and one atmospheric instrument were mounted on the Instrument Pointing System, which was being tested on its first flight. The second Spacelab pallet held a large double x-ray telescope and three plasma physics detectors. The last pallet supported an infrared telescope, a superfluid helium technology experiment, and a small plasma diagnostics satellite. The Spacelab-2 mission was designed to capitalize on the Shuttle-Spacelab capabilities, to launch and retrieve satellites, and to point several instruments independently with accuracy and stability. Spacelab-2 (STS-51F, 19th Shuttle mission) was launched aboard Space Shuttle Orbiter Challenger on July 29, 1985. The Marshall Space Flight Center had overall management responsibilities of the Spacelab missions."

Date: 1981

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

Date: 1983-1985

"Launch of the STS-51-F Challenger. Just moments following ignition, the Space Shuttle Challenger, mated to its two solid rocket boosters and an external fuel tank, soars toward a week-long mission in Earth orbit. Launch occurred at 5:00 p.m. (EDT).

Note: the diamond shock effect in the vicinity of the three main engines."

"The 19th Space Shuttle mission gets off to a beginning as the Challenger soars toward earth orbit where it is scheduled to spend a week for a series of mostly scientific tasks. Challenger carries seven crewmembers and Spacelab 2 science pallets."

Date: July 29, 1985

NASA ID: KSC-85PC-0397, 51F-S-157, 51F-S-061, 51F-S-038, 51F-S-068

Space Shuttle Challenger began its 8th flight, and the shuttle program’s 19th mission (STS-51F) on 29 July 1985.

During launch, multiple sensor failings resulted in an “Abort to Orbit” procedure (the only time it was implemented during the shuttle program), and the 8-day mission was completed at a lower orbit.