STS049-91-020 (13 May 1992) --- The successful capture of Intelsat VI satellite is recorded over Mexico on this 70mm frame, from inside the Space Shuttle Endeavour's cabin. Left to right, astronauts Richard J. Hieb, Thomas D. Akers and Pierre J. Thuot have handholds on the satellite. Ground coverage in the frame includes an area from Hermosillo, Sonara to Los Mochis in the state of Sinaloa. The nine-day mission accomplished the capture of the Intelsat, subsequent mating of the satellite to a booster and its eventual deployment, as well as a Space Station Freedom preview Extravehicular Activity (EVA). Endeavour's crew members were astronauts Daniel C. Brandenstein, mission commander; Kevin P. Chilton, pilot; and Thomas D. Akers, Richard J. Hieb, Bruce E. Melnick, Kathryn C. Thornton and Pierre J. Thuot, all mission specialists.
S92-43335 (28 July 1992) --- STS-53 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, Mission Specialist James S. Voss, wearing extravehicular mobility unit (EMU), is lowered into JSC?s Weightless Environment Training Facility (WETF) Bldg. 29 pool. Voss waves to his daughter standing on the poolside as the platform he is positioned in is submerged in the pool. Technicians on the poolside and scuba equipped divers in the water monitor activities. Once underwater, Voss will participate in contingency extravehicular activity (EVA) procedures.
Virtual Environment Telepresence workstation, simulated Mars Exploration shows Lewis Hitchner with virtual helmet and EXOS Dexterous interface (virtual hand)
S92-36739 (22 May 1992) --- Astronaut Margaret Rhea Seddon, mission specialist.
SSE (Solar System Exploration) flight apparatus: PDE (Particle Dispersion Experiement) on-board USML-1 (GEM)
S92-46717 (November 1992) --- A front view of the improved waste collection system (IWCS) scheduled to fly aboard NASA's Space Shuttle Endeavour for the STS-54 mission. Among the advantages the new IWCS is hoped to have over the current WCS are greater dependability, better hygiene, virtually unlimited capacity and more efficient preparation between Shuttle missions. Unlike the previous WCS, the improved version will not have to be removed from the spacecraft to be readied for the next flight.
S92-30926 (12 March 1992) --- Astronaut Franco Malerba, STS-46 Italian Payload Specialist.
The STS-53 crew portrait included astronauts (front left to right): Guion S. Bluford, and James S. Voss, mission specialists. On the back row, left to right, are David M. Walker, commander; Robert D. Cabana, Pilot; and Michael R. (Rick) Clifford, mission specialist. The crew launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on December 2, 1992 at 8:24:00 am (EST). This mission marked the final classified shuttle flight for the Department of Defense (DOD).
SSE (Solar System Exploration) flight apparatus: PDE (Particle Dispersion Experiement) on-board USML-1 (GEM)
STS-47 Spacelab-J FFE (Frog Embryology Experiment) post flight data - flight frogs from SL-J, ground control tadpoles
The IML-1 mission was the first in a series of Shuttle flights dedicated to fundamental materials and life sciences research with the international partners. The participating space agencies included: NASA, the 14-nation European Space Agency (ESA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), The French National Center of Space Studies (CNES), the German Space Agency and the German Aerospace Research Establishment (DAR/DLR), and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). Dedicated to the study of life and materials sciences in microgravity, the IML missions explored how life forms adapt to weightlessness and investigated how materials behave when processed in space. Both life and materials sciences benefited from the extended periods of microgravity available inside the Spacelab science module in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle Orbiter. This photograph shows Astronaut Norman Thagard performing the fluid experiment at the Fluid Experiment System (FES) facility inside the laboratory module. The FES facility had sophisticated optical systems for imaging fluid flows during materials processing, such as experiments to grow crystals from solution and solidify metal-modeling salts. A special laser diagnostic technique recorded the experiments, holograms were made for post-flight analysis, and video was used to view the samples in space and on the ground. Managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the IML-1 mission was launched on January 22, 1992 aboard the Shuttle Orbiter Discovery (STS-42).
STS045-20-018 (2 April 1992) --- STS-45 Payload Specialist Byron K. Lichtenberg talks into a cassette tape recorder to note observations following a science run of the Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging (AEPI) experiment. Lichtenberg is on the aft flight deck of Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104. At Lichtenberg's left is the mission station, the forward flight deck and window W6 appear behind him, and overhead control panels appear above his head.
Astronaut Mark Lee participates in the Photo Voltaic Module testing in Marshall's Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS).
STS046-102-021 (1 Aug 1992) --- The European Space Agency's (ESA) EURECA satellite remains in the grasp of the Space Shuttle Atlantis' Remote Manipulator System (RMS) as the Space Shuttle passes over the Persian Gulf. Most of the theater of the recent war is visible in the frame. Parts of Kuwait, Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia can be delineated. The Tethered Satellite System (TSS) remains stowed in the aft cargo bay of Atlantis.
Virtual Environment Telepresence workstation, simulated Mars Exploration shows Lewis Hitchner with virtual helmet and EXOS Dexterous interface (virtual hand)
S92-42755 (31 July 1992) --- Astronaut Susan J. Helms, mission specialist assigned to fly aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour for the STS-54 mission, completes the donning of her spacesuit before a training exercise. Though not assigned to the scheduled extravehicular activity (EVA), Helms is trained in the weightless environment training facility (WET-F). She will aid astronauts Gregory J. Harbaugh and Mario Runco Jr. in their planned EVA, scheduled for January of next year, and serve a backup role. Wearing this high fidelity training version of the extravehicular mobility unit (EMU), Helms was later lowered into the 25-ft. deep WET-F pool. The pressurized suit is weighted so as to allow Helms to achieve neutral buoyancy and simulate the various chores of the spacewalk.
This view of deforestation in Rondonia, far western Brazil, (10.0S, 63.0W) is part of an agricultural resettlement project which ultimately covers an area about 80% the size of France. The patterns of deforestation in this part of the Amazon River Basin are usually aligned adjacent to highways, secondary roads, and streams for ease of access and transportation. Compare this view with the earlier 51G-37-062 for a comparison of deforestation in the region.
The image shows a test cell of Crystal Growth experiment inside the Vapor Crystal Growth System (VCGS) furnace aboard the STS-42, International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1), mission. The goal of IML-1, a pressurized marned Spacelab module, was to explore in depth the complex effects of weightlessness of living organisms and materials processing. More than 200 scientists from 16 countires participated in the investigations.
STS-42, Viewing earth with lots of snow, partial view of IML-1 (International Microgravity Laboratory) in cargo bay.
Oil portrait of Howard Goldstein A leader of Ames' research on thermal protection systems.
S92-44931 (October 1992) --- Astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy, Centre d'Etudes National Spatial (CNES), France mission specialist.
Telepresence Virtual Reality (Mars Surface)
In this photograph, astronaut Roberta Bondar conducts a life science experiment by using the Biorack Glovebox (GBX) during the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1) mission. The Biorack was a large multipurpose facility designed for studying the effects of microgravity and cosmic radiation on numerous small life forms such as cells, tissues, small organisms, and plants. Located at the Biorack, the GBX was an enclosed environment that protected samples from contamination and prevented liquid from escaping. Crewmembers handled the specimens with their hands inside gloves that extended into the sealed work area. A microscope and video camera mounted on the GBX door were used to observe and document experiments. Managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center, the IML-1 mission was the first in a series of Shuttle flights dedicated to fundamental materials and life sciences research and was launched aboard the Shuttle Orbiter Discovery (STS-42) on January 22, 1992.
Astronaut Mae Jemison working on Glovebox experiment.
STS-47 Spacelab-J - post flight tadpoles
STS-47 Spacelab-J - eggs - post flight data
Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-47) onboard photo of crew members working in the Spacelab-J module.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A pair of eagles with two chicks in one of the many nests at Kennedy Space Center.
NASA Mars Underwater Rover Phantom 2 TROV (Telepresences Controlled Remotely Operated Vehicle) cameras
A NASA CV-990, modified as a Landing Systems Research Aircraft (LSRA), is serviced on the ramp at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, before a test of the space shuttle landing gear system. The space shuttle landing gear test unit, operated by a high-pressure hydraulic system, allowed engineers to assess and document the performance of space shuttle main and nose landing gear systems, tires and wheel assemblies, plus braking and nose wheel steering performance. The series of 155 test missions for the space shuttle program provided extensive data about the life and endurance of the shuttle tire systems and helped raise the shuttle crosswind landing limits at Kennedy.
S92-44307 (25 July 1992) --- Technicians, engineers and flight crewmembers look on as the Spacelab-J laboratory module and experiment canister bridge are lowered into Endeavour's cargo bay. The STS-47 crewmembers visited Endeavour, currently undergoing pre-flight processing in a high bay area of the Orbiter Processing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center. The Spacelab-J mission is currently scheduled for September of this year.
S92-44303 --- STS-47 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, crew members and back-up payload specialists, wearing clean suits, pose for a group portrait in the Spacelab Japan (SLJ) module. The team is at the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC's) Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) to inspect SLJ configuration and OV-105 preparations. Kneeling, from left, are back-up Payload Specialist Chiaki Naito-Mukai; Mission Specialist N. Jan Davis; and backup Payload Specialist Takao Doi. Standing, from the left, are Pilot Curtis L. Brown,Jr; Payload Commander Mark C. Lee; Jerome Apt; Payload Specialist Mamoru Mohri; Commander Robert L. Gibson; Mae C. Jemison; and back-up Payload Specialist Stanely L. Koszelak. Mohri, Mukai, and Doi represent the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). View provided by KSC with alternate KSC number KSC-92PC-1647. Photo credit: NASA
Sikorsky Bearingless Main rotor (SBMR) mounted on the Ames Rotor Test Apparatus (RTA) for testing in the NASA Ames40x80ft Subsonic Wind Tunnel, test-584.
The STS-50 crew portrait includes (from left to right): Ellen S. Baker, mission specialist; Kenneth D. Bowersox, pilot; Bonnie J. Dunbar, payload commander; Richard N. Richards, commander; Carl J. Meade, mission specialist; Eugene H. Trinh, payload specialist; and Lawrence J. DeLucas, payload specialist. Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on June 25, 1992 at 12:12:23 pm (EDT), the primary payload for the mission was the U.S. Microgravity Laboratory-1 (USML-1) featuring a pressurized Spacelab module.
STS-47 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, Mission Specialist (MS) N. Jan Davis, wearing a launch and entry suit (LES), looks on as technicians adjust her LES parachute pack prior to launch emergency egress (bailout) exercises in JSC's Mockup and Integration Laboratory (MAIL) Bldg 9A. Davis is making her first flight in space.
S92-42897 (7 August 1992) --- Astronaut Kathryn C. Thornton, mission specialist
A smooth countdown culminated in a picture-perfect launch as the Space Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour (STS-47) climbed skyward atop a ladder of billowing smoke on September 12, 1992. The primary payload for the plarned seven-day flight was the Spacelab-J science laboratory. The second flight of Endeavour marks a number of historic firsts: the first space flight of an African-American woman, the first Japanese citizen to fly on a Space Shuttle, and the first married couple to fly in space.
Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-45) onboard photo of open cargo bay with the forward portion of the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (Atlas-1) shown at night.
S92-34862 (13 March 1992) --- An otter, surprised by the unexpected presence of the photographer, seems unaware of the Space Shuttle Endeavour rolling behind it to Launch Pad 39B. Endeavour is the newest orbiter in the Shuttle fleet. Still ahead for Endeavour (OV-105) is a Flight Readiness Firing of its three main engines, and the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test with the flight crew. Endeavour's maiden voyage on NASA's mission STS-49 will occur in late spring.
S92-32108 (May 1992) --- Payload specialist Albert Sacco Jr. uses a one-person life raft during emergency bailout training exercises in the Johnson Space Center?s (JSC) Weightless Environment Training Facility (WET-F). Sacco is an alternate payload specialist for the United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-1) mission, scheduled for launch later this year. EDITOR?S NOTE: Sacco was later named as prime crew payload specialist for the USML-2 mission (STS-73), scheduled for 1995.
The Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis (STS-46) touched down at Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility completing an eight day mission of five NASA astronauts and two Europeans. The vehicle assembly building (VAB) can be seen in the background. The STS-46 mission carried and deployed the European Retrievable Carrier (Eureca), and the NASA/ISA Tethered Satellite System (TSS-1), allowing for a new capability for probing the space environment.
STS-50 Columbia's, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102's, main landing gear touches down on runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) producing a small cloud of dust. Landing occurred at 7:42 am (Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)). In this view of the OV-102's starboard side, the nose landing gear (NLG) continues to ride above the runway surface. Florida vegetation, a runway sign, and runway lights appear in the foreground.
On the 500th arniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, replicas of his three ships sailed past the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) while the space shuttle Columbia sat poised for lift off.
Virtual Environment Telepresence workstation, simulated Mars Exploration shows Lewis Hitchner with virtual helmet and EXOS Dexterous interface (virtual hand)
Mission Specialist Lacy Veach in the aft flight deck reviewing a procedures manual.
S92-45921 (21 Sept. 1992) --- Astronaut John M. Grunsfeld.
Samples of zinc-alloyed cadmium mercury grown on Earth (1g) and in space (ug) are shown at the same magnification. The space-grown crystal has a more uniform microstructure. Flown on STS-50 USML-1.
S92-49268 (November 1992) --- Astronaut Andrew S.W. Thomas, mission specialist.
STS053-09-019 (2 - 9 Dec 1992) --- A medium close-up view of part of the Fluid Acquisition and Resupply Equipment (FARE) onboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. Featured in the mid-deck FARE setup is fluid activity in one of two 12.5-inch spherical tanks made of transparent acrylic. Pictured is the receiver tank. The other tank, out of frame below, is for supplying fluids. The purpose of FARE is to investigate the dynamics of fluid transfer in microgravity and develop methods for transferring vapor-free propellants and other liquids that must be replenished in long-term space systems like satellites, Extended-Duration Orbiters (EDO), and Space Station Freedom. Eight times over an eight-hour test period, the mission specialists conducted the FARE experiment. A sequence of manual valve operations caused pressurized air from the bottles to force fluids from the supply tank to the receiver tank and back again to the supply tank. Baffles in the receiver tank controlled fluid motion during transfer, a fine-mesh screen filtered vapor from the fluid, and the overboard vent removed vapor from the receiver tank as the liquid rose. FARE is managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Alabama. The basic equipment was developed by Martin Marietta for the Storable Fluid Management Demonstration. Susan L. Driscoll is the principal investigator.
S92-45226 (11 Sept. 1992) --- Astronaut Winston E. Scott, mission specialist.
Onboard Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-50) in the United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-1) mission specialist Ellen S. Baker is hard at work.
S92-44998 (August 1992) --- Astronaut Steven G. Maclean, payload specialist STS-52. NOTE: MacLean is one of six Canadian astronauts selected in December 1983. He began astronaut training in February 1984. He was designated in December 1985 as the Canadian payload specialist to fly on STS-52 with the CANEX-2 set of Canadian experiments.
S92-47653 (9 October 1992) --- Astronaut David M. Walker.
On the 500th arniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, replicas of his three ships sailed past the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) while the space shuttle Columbia sat poised for lift off.
Vice-president Dan Quayle and Alabama Governor Guy Hunt are greeted by Marshall Center Director Thomas J. Lee (1989-1994) (center) and NASA Administrator Dan Goldin (shaking hands with Vice-president Quayle) at the space station engineering mock-up.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-53: Discovery
STS052-S-098 (1 Nov 1992) --- This ground-level side view shows the Space Shuttle Columbia just prior to main landing gear touchdown at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility to successfully complete a ten-day Earth-orbital mission. Onboard were a crew of five NASA astronauts and a Canadian payload specialist. Landing occurred at 9:05:53 a.m. (EST), November 1, 1992. Crewmembers are astronauts James D. Wetherbee, Michael A. Baker, Tamara E. Jernigan, Charles L. (Lacy) Veach and William M. Shepherd along with payload specialist Steven G. MacLean. The view was recorded with a 35mm camera.
STS042-27-037 (22-30 Jan. 1992) --- Astronaut David C. Hilmers, STS-42 mission specialist, wearing a helmet assembly, sits in the Microgravity Vestibular Investigation (MVI) rotating chair. The scene is in the International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-1) science module aboard Discovery. Hilmers, a mission specialist, and six other crewmembers spent more than eight days in Earth-orbit conducting experiments. Hilmer's helmet assembly is outfitted with accelerometers to measure head movements and visors that fit over each eye independently to provide visual stimuli. The chair system has three movement patterns: "sinusoidal" or traveling predictably back and forth over the same distance at a constant speed; "pseudorandom" or moving back and forth over the varying distances; and "stepped" or varying speeds beginning and stopping suddenly.
The Spacelab-J (SL-J) mission was a joint venture between NASA and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) utilizing a marned Spacelab module. Materials science investigations covered such fields as biotechnology, electronic materials, fluid dynamics and transport phenomena, glasses and ceramics, metals and alloys, and acceleration measurements. Life sciences included experiments on human health, cell separation and biology, developmental biology, animal and human physiology and behavior, space radiation, and biological rhythms. Before long-term space ventures are attempted, numerous questions must be answered: how will gravity play in the early development of an organism, and how will new generations of a species be conceived and develop normally in microgravity. The Effects of Weightlessness on the Development of Amphibian Eggs Fertilized in Space experiment aboard SL-J examined aspects of these questions. To investigate the effect of microgravity on amphibian development, female frogs carried aboard SL-J were induced to ovulate and shed eggs. These eggs were then fertilized in the microgravity environment. Half were incubated in microgravity, while the other half were incubated in a centrifuge that spins to simulate normal gravity. This photograph shows astronaut Mark Lee working with one of the adult female frogs inside the incubator. The mission also examined the swimming behavior of tadpoles grown in the absence of gravity. The Spacelab-J was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour on September 12, 1992.
STS047-02-018 (12 - 20 Sept 1992) --- Astronauts N. Jan Davis, mission specialist, and Curtis L. Brown, Jr., pilot, oversee the progress of some of the 180 female Oriental Hornets onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The insects are part of the Israeli Space Agency Investigation About Hornets (ISAIAH) experiment. The objective of this experiment is to examine the effects of microgravity on the orientation, reproductive capability and social activity of the hornets. Also, the direction of comb-building by hornet workers in microgravity, as well as the structural integrity of the combs, will be examined.
STS049-91-056 (13 May 1992) --- The 4.5-ton Intelsat VI communications satellite begins its separation from the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Crew members deployed a new perigee stage on the satellite after three astronauts on a third extravehicular activity (EVA) successfully snared it. Clouds over the open ocean serve as backdrop for the 70mm image.
Zeolites are crystalline aluminosilicates that have complex framework structures. However, there are several features of zeolite crystals that make unequivocal structure determinations difficult. The acquisition of reliable structural information on zeolites is greatly facilitated by the availability of high-quality specimens. For structure determinations by conventional diffraction techniques, large single-crystal specimens are essential. Alternatively, structural determinations by powder profile refinement methods relax the constraints on crystal size, but still require materials with a high degree of crystalline perfection. Studies conducted at CAMMP (Center for Advanced Microgravity Materials Processing) have demonstrated that microgravity processing can produce larger crystal sizes and fewer structural defects relative to terrestrial crystal growth. Principal Investigator: Dr. Albert Sacco
One step closer to its maiden voyage, the Space Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building, headed to Launch Pad 39B. Launched on May 7th 1992, the STS-49 mission was the first U.S. orbital flight to feature 4 extravehicular activities (EVAs), and the first flight to involve 3 crew members working simultaneously outside of the spacecraft. The primary objective was the capture and redeployment of the INTELSAT VI (F-3) which was stranded in an unusable orbit since its launch aboard the Titan rocket in March 1990.
In this photograph, astronaut David Hilmers conducts a life science experiment by using the Biorack Glovebox (GBX) during the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1) mission. The Biorack was a large multipurpose facility designed for studying the effects of microgravity and cosmic radiation on numerous small life forms such as cells, tissues, small organisms, and plants. Located at the Biorack, the GBX was an enclosed environment that protected samples from contamination and prevented liquid from escaping. Crewmembers handled the specimens with their hands inside gloves that extended into the sealed work area. A microscope and video camera mounted on the GBX door were used to observe and document experiments. Managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center, the IML-1 mission was the first in a series of Shuttle flights dedicated to fundamental materials and life sciences research and was launched aboard the Shuttle Orbiter Discovery (STS-42) on January 22, 1992.
Telepresence Virtual Reality (Mars Surface)
STS047-S-002 (June 1992) --- These seven crew members are currently in training for the STS-47/Spacelab J mission scheduled for later this year. Pictured are (left to right, front) Jerome (Jay) Apt, mission specialist; Curtis L. Brown, pilot; and (left to right, rear) N. Jan Davis, mission specialist; Mark C. Lee, payload commander; Robert L. Gibson, mission commander; Mae C. Jemison, mission specialist; and Mamoru Mohri, payload specialist, representing the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). This is the Space Shuttle Endeavour's second scheduled mission.
Female astronauts Jan Davis and Mae Jemison undergo training at Marshall's Spacelab-J Crew Training facility.
The Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-52) thunders off Launch Pad 39B, embarking on a 10-day flight and carrying a crew of six who will deploy the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II (LAGEOS). LAGEOS is a spherical passive satellite covered with reflectors which are illuminated by ground-based lasers to determine precise measurements of the Earth's crustal movements. The other major payload on this mission is the United States Microgravity Payload 1 (USMP-1), where experiments will be conducted by crew members while in low earth orbit (LEO).
S92-31007 (March 1992) --- Astronaut Stephen S. Oswald.
STS049-81-093 (14 May 1992) --- Astronaut Kathryn C. Thornton joins three struts together, as fourth period of extravehicular activity (EVA) proceeds in the Space Shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay. The purpose of the final EVA on this nine-day mission was the evaluation of Assembly of Station by EVA Methods (ASEM). Clouds over the ocean share the background with part of Endeavour's Remote Manipulator System (RMS). The scene was recorded on 70mm film from the Space Shuttle's flight deck. Astronaut Thomas D. Akers (out of frame) joined Thornton on the 7 1/2 hour EVA.
S92-44961 (9 Sept. 1992) --- Astronaut Kent V. Rominger, pilot.
This view of the central portion of upstate New York, centers on the Finger Lakes. The large city on the shore of Lake Ontario, is Rochester. Although the city, being a business, educational and technical center, has no heavy industry, the outline of the city shows fairly well in the snow, but not as well as the outlines of industrial cities elsewhere in the world. The Finger Lakes are large linear lakes carved out by glaciers during the last ice age.
The orbiter Atlantis (STS-45) touched down on Runway 33 of Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, bringing to a conclusion Mission STS-45. On board were seven crew members and the Atmospheric Lab for Applications and Sciences 1 (ATLAS-1).
STS-49, the first flight of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour, lifted off from launch pad 39B on May 7, 1992 at 6:40 pm CDT. The STS-49 mission was the first U.S. orbital flight to feature 4 extravehicular activities (EVAs), and the first flight to involve 3 crew members working simultaneously outside of the spacecraft. The primary objective was the capture and redeployment of the INTELSAT VI (F-3), a communication satellite for the International Telecommunication Satellite organization, which was stranded in an unusable orbit since its launch aboard the Titan rocket in March 1990. In this onboard photo, astronauts Hieb, Akers, and Thuot have handholds on the satellite.
STS-45 Mission Commander Charles Bolden steps down from his T-38 after he and the rest of the flight crew arrived at KSC for the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. Space Shuttle Mission STS-45 is scheduled to liftoff in March.
S92-49715 (10 Nov 1992) --- Russian cosmonauts Sergei Krikalev (left), and Vladimir Titov (right) share a team handshake with Kenneth L. Reightler, STS-60 pilot. The cosmonauts toured the Space Shuttle mockup and integration laboratory, in which they will undergo a great deal of training in preparation for the mission. One of the two will later be named as prime payload specialist and the second will serve as his alternate. The six person crew, to be led by astronaut Charles F. Bolden, mission commander, will man the Space Shuttle Discovery for the scheduled eight-day flight.
Vapor Crystal Growth System developed in IML-1, Mercuric Iodide Crystal grown in microgravity FES/VCGS (Fluids Experiment System/Vapor Crystal Growth Facility). During the mission, mercury iodide source material was heated, vaporized, and transported to a seed crystal where the vapor condensed. Mercury iodide crystals have practical uses as sensitive X-ray and gamma-ray detectors. In addition to their excellent optical properties, these crystals can operate at room temperature, which makes them useful for portable detector devices for nuclear power plant monitoring, natural resource prospecting, biomedical applications, and astronomical observing.
STS052-S-051 (22 Oct 1992) --- This distant 70mm image shows the Space Shuttle Columbia clearing the tower at Launch Pad 39B, at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), on its way toward a ten-day Earth-orbital mission with a crew of five NASA astronauts and a Canadian payload specialist. Liftoff occurred at 1:09:39 p.m. (EDT), October 22, 1992. Crew members are astronauts James D. Wetherbee, Michael A. Baker, Tamara E. Jernigan, Charles L. (Lacy) Veach and William M. Shepherd, along with payload specialist Steven G. MacLean. Payloads onboard include the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II (LAGEOS II), which will be deployed early in the mission, a series of Canadian experiments, and the United States Microgravity Payload-1 (USMP-1).
Telepresence Virtual Reality (Mars Surface)
This is the Space Shuttle Orbiter Discovery, STS-42 mission, with the First International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-1) module shown in the cargo bay. IML-1, the first in a series of Shuttle flights, was dedicated to study the fundamental materials and life sciences in the microgravity environment inside Spacelab, a laboratory carried aloft by the Shuttle. The mission explored how life forms adapt to weightlessness and investigated how materials behave when processed in space. The IML program gave a team of scientists from around the world access to a unique environment, one that is free from most of Earth's gravity. The 14-nation European Space Agency (ESA), the Canadian Space Agency (SCA), the French National Center for Space Studies (CNES), the German Space Agency and the German Aerospace Research Establishment (DARA/DLR), and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) participated in developing hardware and experiments for the IML missions. The missions were managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The Orbiter Discovery was launched on January 22, 1992 for the IML-1 mission.
STS053-S-085 (9 Dec. 1992) --- The drag chute on the space shuttle Discovery is partially deployed during landing on Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base. The landing ended an eight-day space mission for the STS-53 crew. Main gear touchdown occurred at 12:43:17 p.m. (PST) on Dec. 9, 1992. Onboard were astronauts David M. Walker, Robert D. Cabana, Guion S. Bluford Jr., James S. Voss and Michael R.U. (Rich) Clifford.
S92-39074 (6 May 1992) --- The centuries-old technology that built Christopher Columbus' three sailing ships passes within a half mile of the 20th-Century Space Shuttle Endeavour, in background, awaiting liftoff on Launch Pad 39B. The replicas of the Santa Maria, Nina, and Pinta wind-powered ships, managed by the Spain '92 Foundation, are on a tour to ports around the Gulf of Mexico and up the Atlantic Coast of the United States. Endeavour is set to lift off on its maiden voyage, STS-49, on May 7, 1992. Video footage of the two types of exploration vessels will be used by NASA for a variety of productions, including the annual Von Braun Exploration forum sponsored by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Huntsville, Alabama, in October, 1992. This year's theme is Exploration and the Evolution of Nations. 1992 is the 500th anniversary of Columbus' voyage to the New World.
A crewmember aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis (STS-46) used a 70mm handheld camera to capture this medium closeup view of early operations with the Tethered Satellite System (TSS). TSS-1 is being deployed from its boom as it is perched above the cargo bay of the Earth-orbiting Shuttle circling the Earth at an altitude of 296 kilometers (184 miles), the TSS-1 will be well within the tenuous, electrically charged layer of the atmosphere known as the ionosphere. There, a satellite attached to the orbiter by a thin conducting cord, or tether, will be reeled from the Shuttle payload bay. On this mission the satellite was plarned to be deployed 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) above the Shuttle. The conducting tether will generate high voltage and electrical currents as it moves through the atmosphere allowing scientists to examine the electrodynamics of a conducting tether system. These studies will not only increase our understanding of physical processes in the near-Earth space environment, but will also help provide an explanation for events witnessed elsewhere in the solar system. The crew of the STS-46 mission were unable to reel the satellite as planned. After several unsuccessful attempts, they were only able to extend the satellite 9.8 kilometers (6.1 miles). The TSS was a cooperative development effort by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and NASA.
STS049-91-079 (7 - 16 May 1992) --- This 70mm frame, photographed from the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Endeavour, features a dendritic drainage pattern in Zaire. Cleared pasture land shows light green in this color photograph, in contrast to the dark, closed-canopy forest of Zaire. Remnant woodland along minor streams indicates the intricate drainage network of this hilly region. Scattered vegetation-free spots show the deep red, tropical soil of the region. The sediment-laden stream is the Vele River just west of the village of Niangara. A crew member used a 70mm handheld Hasselblad camera with a 250mm lens to record the image.
STS-49, the first flight of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour, lifted off from launch pad 39B on May 7, 1992 at 6:40 pm CDT. The STS-49 mission was the first U.S. orbital flight to feature 4 extravehicular activities (EVAs), and the first flight to involve 3 crew members working simultaneously outside of the spacecraft. The primary objective was the capture and redeployment of the INTELSAT VI (F-3) which was stranded in an unusable orbit since its launch aboard the Titan rocket in March 1990.
Virtual Environment Telepresence workstation, simulated Mars Exploration shows Dr Michael McGreevy with virtual helmet and EXOS Dexterous interface (holding rock invirtual hand)
S92-44960 (9 Sept. 1992) --- Astronaut Koichi Wakata, mission specialist representing the National Space Development Agency (NASDA), Japan.
S92-46536 (16 Aug. 1992) --- Astronaut candidates Chris A. Hadfield, Jerry M. Linenger and Koichi Wakata (left to right in foreground) are issued gear for a survival school hosted by Fairchild Air Force Base. Hadfield, from Canada, and Wakata, from Japan, are among the five international candidates in the group of astronaut candidates currently involved in a year-long training and evaluation program.
S92-41075 (3 June 1992) --- The Space Shuttle Columbia arrived at Launch Pad 39A for final preparation on its launch of STS-50 scheduled for later this month. The journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began shortly before midnight and ended six hours later. STS-50 will be Columbia's first space flight since June 1991, after which the oldest orbiter in the fleet was removed from operational service for extended checkout and modification. STS-50 also will be longest Shuttle flight to date, slated to last 13 days.* *Because of inclement weather at the prime landing facility, STS-50 landed one-day later, marking a Shuttle record 14-days in orbit.
S92-44932 (8 Sept. 1992) --- Astronaut Scott J. Horowitz, pilot.
As the orbiter Columbia (STS-50) rolled down Runway 33 of Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility, its distinctively colored drag chute deployed to slow down the spaceship. This landing marked OV-102's first end-of-mission landing at KSC and the tenth in the program, and the second shuttle landing with the drag chute. Edwards Air Force Base, CA, was the designated prime for the landing of Mission STS-50, but poor weather necessitated the switch to KSC after a one-day extension of the historic flight. STS-50 was the longest in Shuttle program historyo date, lasting 13 days, 19 hours, 30 minutes and 4 seconds. A crew of seven and the USML-1 were aboard.
STS-47 Spacelab-J - eggs - post flight data
STS045-S-053 (24 March 1992) --- A low-angle view of the Space Shuttle Atlantis as it soars off the launch pad and heads toward Earth orbit with a crew of seven and the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS) aboard. Launch occurred at 8:13:40:048 a.m. (EST), March 24, 1992. Onboard were astronauts Charles F. Bolden, STS-45 commander; Brian Duffy, pilot; Kathryn D. Sullivan, payload commander; David C. Leestma and C. Michael Foale, mission specialists; and Dirk Frimout of the European Space Agency and Byron K. Lichtenberg, payload specialists.
NASA Mars Underwater Rover Phantom 2 TROV (Telepresences Controlled Remotely Operated Vehicle) - helmet head piece
Ames Robotics Laboratory, T-1 Robot in 'sandbox'
The Bight of Bangkok and the city of Bangkok, Thailand are visible in this west looking view. The city of Bangkok, with an estimated population in excess of 3.7 million people, can be seen in the lower right-hand corner of the view. The city, famous as a jewelry trading center, dealing in precious stones and silver and bronze ware, is situated in a vast lowland. This lowland is a major rice growing area interspersed with canals used for irrigation and drainage. Rice is a major export commodity of Thailand. The deforested hills of the Bilauktaung Range can be seen at the top of the view.
Test of bearing and seal materials in order to develop improved life bearing designs for operating in liquid turbomachinery.
Virtual Environment Telepresence workstation, simulated Mars Exploration shows Lewis Hitchner with virtual helmet and EXOS Dexterous interface (virtual hand)
S92-41511 (1992) --- Astronaut Richard J. Hieb.
Virtual Environment Telepresence workstation, simulated Mars Exploration shows Lewis Hitchner with virtual helmet and EXOS Dexterous interface (virtual hand)