STS-38

STS-38 was a Space Shuttle mission by NASA using the Space Shuttle Atlantis. It was the 37th shuttle mission, and carried a classified payload for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). It was the seventh flight for Atlantis and the seventh flight dedicated to the Department of Defense. The mission was a 4-day mission that traveled 3,291,199 km (2,045,056 mi) and completed 79 revolutions. Atlantis landed at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility's runway 33. The launch was originally scheduled for July 1990, but was rescheduled due to a hydrogen leak found on Space Shuttle Columbia during the STS-35 countdown. During a rollback to the Orbiter Processing Facility Atlantis was damaged during a hail storm. The eventual launch date of November 15, 1990, was set due to a payload problem. The launch window was between 18:30 and 22:30 EST. The launch occurred at 18:48:13 EST.

STS-38
Atlantis in orbit; in-flight photography of this Department of Defense support mission is limited
NamesSpace Transportation System-38
Mission typeDoD satellite deployment
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID1990-097A
SATCAT no.20935
Mission duration4 days, 21 hours, 54 minutes, 31 seconds (achieved)
Distance travelled3,291,199 km (2,045,056 mi)
Orbits completed79
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftSpace Shuttle Atlantis
Landing mass86,677 kg (191,090 lb)
Crew
Crew size5
Members
Start of mission
Launch dateNovember 15, 1990, 23:48:15 UTC
RocketSpace Shuttle Atlantis
Launch siteKennedy Space Center, LC-39A
ContractorRockwell International
End of mission
Landing dateNovember 20, 1990, 21:42:46 UTC
Landing siteKennedy Space Center,
SLF Runway 33
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Perigee altitude260 km (160 mi)
Apogee altitude269 km (167 mi)
Inclination28.45°
Period89.79 minutes

STS-38 mission patch

Standing: Charles D. Gemar, Robert C. Springer, Carl J. Meade
Seated: Frank L. Culbertson Jr., Richard O. Covey
 
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