STS-93
STS-93 in 1999 marked the 95th launch of the Space Shuttle, the 26th launch of Columbia, and the 21st night launch of a Space Shuttle. Eileen Collins became the first female shuttle Commander on this flight. Its primary payload was the Chandra X-ray Observatory. It would also be Columbia's last mission until March 2002. During the interim, Columbia would be out of service for upgrading and would only fly again on STS-109. The launch was originally scheduled for 20 July, but it was aborted at T−7 seconds. The successful launch of the flight occurred three days later. The payload was also the heaviest ever carried by the Space Shuttle system, at over 22.7 tonnes (25 tons).
Chandra and its Inertial Upper Stage, prior to deployment from Columbia's payload bay | |
| Names | Space Transportation System-93 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Chandra X-ray Observatory Deployment |
| Operator | NASA |
| COSPAR ID | 1999-040A |
| SATCAT no. | 25866 |
| Mission duration | 4 days, 22 hours, 49 minutes, 34 seconds |
| Distance travelled | 2,890,000 km (1,796,000 mi) |
| Orbits completed | 80 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Space Shuttle Columbia |
| Launch mass | 122,534 kg (270,142 lb) |
| Landing mass | 99,781 kg (219,980 lb) |
| Payload mass | 22,780 kg (50,222 lb) |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 5 |
| Members | |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 23 July 1999, 04:31:00 UTC |
| Launch site | Kennedy LC-39B |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | 28 July 1999, 03:20:35 UTC |
| Landing site | Kennedy SLF Runway 33 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 260 kilometres (160 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 280 kilometres (170 mi) |
| Inclination | 28.4 degrees |
| Period | 90 minutes |
|
Left to right: Collins, Hawley, Ashby, Tognini, Coleman | |
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