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STS-96

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STS-96 was a mission of the United States Space Shuttle Discovery.
Space Shuttle program
Mission Insignia

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Mission Statistics
Mission:STS-96
Shuttle:Discovery
Launch Pad: 39-B
Launch:May 27, 1999 6:49a.m. EDT
Landing: June 6, 1999 KSC's SLF 2:02:43 a.m. EDT (Runway 15)
Duration: 9 days, 19 hours, 13 minutes, 57 seconds.
Orbit Altitude:173 nautical miles (320 km)
Orbit Inclination:51.6 degrees
Distance Traveled:6 million km
Crew photo
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Previous Mission:
STS-88
Next Mission:
STS-93

Crew

Mission parameters

Docking with ISS

Space walk

Mission highlights

STS-96 was a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station. It was the first flight to dock with the International Space Station. The SPACEHAB double module carried internal and resupply cargo for station outfitting.

The Integrated Cargo Carrier (ICC) carried the Russian cargo crane, known as STRELA, which was mounted to the exterior of the Russian station segment, the SPACEHAB Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS) and a U.S. built crane called the ORU Transfer Device (OTD).

Other payloads on STS-96 were the Student Tracked Atmospheric Research Satellite for Heuristic International Networking Equipment (STARSHINE), the Shuttle Vibration Forces Experiment (SVF) and the Orbiter Integrated Vehicle Health Monitoring - HEDS Technology Demonstration (IVHM HTD).

The STARSHINE satellite consists of an inert, 19 inch (483 mm) hollow sphere covered by 1,000 evenly-distributed, flat, polished mirrors, each 1 inch in diameter. The payload consists of the STARSHINE satellite, integrated with the Pallet Ejection System (PES), then mounted inside a lidless carrier. The HH equipment consists of one HH Lightweight Avionics Plate (LAP), then mounted inside a lidless carrier. Additional HH equipment consists of one Hitchhiker Ejection System Electronics (HESE), one 5.0 cubic-foot (142 L) HH canister, and one Adapter Beam Assembly (ABA). The purpose of the mission was to train international student volunteer observers to visually track this optically reflective spacecraft during morning and evening twilight intervals for several months, calculate its orbit from shared observations, and derive atmospheric density from drag-induced changes in its orbit over time.

The Shuttle Vibration Forces (SVF) Experiment provided flight measurements of the vibratory forces acting between an aerospace payload and its mounting structure. The force transducers were incorporated into four custom brackets which replaced the existing brackets used to attach the 5 ft (1.5 m) standard canister to the side wall GAS adapter beam. The payload was activated automatically by the Orbiter Lift-off vibration and operated for approximately 100 seconds. STS-96 was the second flight of the SVF experiment.

The purpose of the Orbiter Integrated Vehicle Health Monitoring- HEDS Technology Demonstration (IVHM HTD) was to demonstrate competing modern, off-the-shelf sensing technologies in an operational environment to make informed design decisions for the eventual Orbiter upgrade IVHM. The objective of IVHM was to reduce planned ground processing, streamline problem troubleshooting (unplanned ground processing), enhance visibility into systems operation and improve overall vehicle safety.

Daniel T. Barry, who enjoys playing the popular computer game StarCraft, brought along a copy of the game during the mission. The game now resides at Blizzard’s home office after having orbited the Earth 153 times and travelling 3.5 million nautical miles. [link]

See also

External links


Manned spaceflights to the International Space Station

STS-88 | STS-96 | STS-101 | STS-106 | STS-92 | Soyuz TM-31 | STS-97 | STS-98 | STS-102 | STS-100 | Soyuz TM-32 | STS-104 | STS-105 | Soyuz TM-33 | STS-108 | STS-110 | Soyuz TM-34 | STS-111 | STS-112 | Soyuz TMA-1 | STS-113 | Soyuz TMA-2 | Soyuz TMA-3 | Soyuz TMA-4 | Soyuz TMA-5 | Soyuz TMA-6 | STS-114 | Soyuz TMA-7 | STS-121
In progress: Soyuz TMA-8
Upcoming: STS-115 | Soyuz TMA-9 | STS-116

 


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