S84-44373 ( 4 Oct 1984) --- Payload Specialist Gary E. Payton, representing United States Air Force.

S85-26933 (27 Jan 1985) --- An unusual almost-straight-on view of the Space Shuttle Discovery as its main landing gear touches down on the Shuttle landing facility runway at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Aboard the spacecraft for the STS-51C mission were astronauts Thomas K. (Ken) Mattingly II, Loren J. Shriver, James F. Buchli and Ellison S. Onizuka of NASA; and payload specialist Gary E. Payton of the USAF.

The crew assigned to the STS-51C mission included (kneeling in front left to right) Loren J. Schriver, pilot; and Thomas K. Mattingly, II, commander. Standing, left to right, are Gary E. Payton, payload specialist; and mission specialists James F. Buchli, and Ellison L. Onzuka. Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on January 24, 1985 at 2:50:00 pm (EST), the STS-51C was the first mission dedicated to the Department of Defense (DOD).

S85-26185 (24 Jan 1985) --- The Space Shuttle Discovery was photographed following engine ignition with a 35mm camera on the nearby service structure, as the vehicle headed for its third mission in Earth orbit. The five member STS-51C crew aboard consisted of astronauts Thomas K. (Ken) Mattingly II, Loren J. Shriver, James F. Buchli and Ellison S. Onizuka of NASA; and Gary E. Payton of the USAF.

S84-42223 (10 Nov. 1984) --- The crew insignia for STS-51C includes the names of its five crew members are astronauts Thomas K. Mattingly, commander; Loren J. Shriver, pilot; Ellison L. Onizuka and James F. Buchli, mission specialists; and Gary E. Payton, payload specialist. The NASA insignia design for space shuttle flights is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the forms of illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which is not anticipated, the change will be publicly announced. Photo credit: NASA

S84-43708 (11 Oct 1984) --- These five crewmembers are scheduled to fly aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger for Mission STS-51C, scheduled for January of next year. Astronauts Thomas K. (Ken) Mattingly II (kneeling right) and Loren J. Shriver (kneeling left) are commander and pilot, respectively. Astronauts James F. Buchli (standing center) and Ellison L. Onizuka (right) are mission specialists. Gary E. Payton of the U.S. Air Force, left, is payload specialist. The crewmembers, holding their launch and entry helmets, were photographed with their crew insignia.

51C-44-026 (24-27 January 1985) --- This oblique view of the Florida peninsula was photographed from the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Discovery during the DOD-devoted mission. Many popular features of the state can be delineated in the scene. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), from which this and all Space Shuttle missions are launched, is on the jutting Cape Canaveral, visible on the east Atlantic Coast. The spacecraft was flying at an altitude of 190 nautical miles. A handheld Hasselblad camera, with 70mm Kodak natural color Ektachrome ASA 64 film, was used to expose the frame. Crew members for the flight were astronauts Thomas K. Mattingly, Loren J. Shriver, Ellison S. Onizuka, James F. Buchli, and Gary E. Payton of the United States Air Force.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson listens as Cadet First Class Celina Guan, second from left, talks about her classes work in the astronautics lab of the United States Air Force Academy, Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, north of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)