STS 51D

Description

STS 51-D was the fourth Discovery shuttle flight. On board were Karol Bobko, Donald Williams, Rhea Seddon, David Griggs, Jeffrey Hoffman, Charles Walker and US Senator Jake Garn.

During this mission, the TELESAT-l (ANIK C-1) communications satellite was deployed, attached to Payload Assist Module (PAM-D) motor. SYNCOM IV-3 (also known as LEASAT-3) was deployed, but spacecraft sequencer failed to initiate antenna deployment, spin up and ignition of perigee kick motor. The mission was extended two days to make certain sequencer start lever in proper position. Griggs and Hoffman performed a space walk to attach Flyswatter devices to thr remote manipulator system. Seddon engaged LEASAT lever using remote manipulator system but post deployment sequence did not begin. Other payloads included: Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System (CFES) III, flying for sixth time; two Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP) experiments; American Flight Echocardiograph (AFE); two Get Away Specials; Phase Partitioning Experiments (PPE); astronomy Photography verification test; medical experiments and `toys in space', an informal study of the behavior of simple toys in weightless environment, with results to be made available to school students.

Mission duration was 167 hours 55 minutes 23 seconds.