STS-55

STS-55

Spacelab Module LM1 inColumbia's payload bay, serving as theSpacelabD-2 laboratory.
Names	Space Transportation System-55 SpacelabD-2
Mission type	Microgravityresearch
Operator	NASAandDLR
COSPAR ID	1993-027A
SATCATno.	22640
Mission duration	9 days, 23 hours, 39 minutes, 59 seconds
Distance travelled	6,701,603 km (4,164,183 mi)
Orbits completed	160
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Space ShuttleColumbia
Landing mass	103,191 kg (227,497 lb)
Payload mass	11,539 kg (25,439 lb)
Crew
Crew size	7
Members	Steven R. Nagel Terence T. Henricks Jerry L. Ross Charles J. Precourt Bernard A. Harris Jr. Ulrich Walter Hans Schlegel
Start of mission
Launch date	April 26, 1993, 14:50:00(April 26, 1993, 14:50:00)UTC(10:50amEDT)
Launch site	Kennedy,LC-39A
Contractor	Rockwell International
End of mission
Landing date	May 6, 1993, 14:29:59(May 6, 1993, 14:29:59)UTC (7:29:59amPDT)
Landing site	Edwards,Runway22
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude	304 km (189 mi)
Apogee altitude	312 km (194 mi)
Inclination	28.45°
Period	90.70 minutes
STS-55 mission patch Standing:Harris,Schlegel,Ross,Walter Seated:Henricks,Nagel,Precourt Space Shuttle program

STS-55,orDeutschland 2(D-2), was the 55th overall flight of theNASASpace Shuttleand the 14th flight of ShuttleColumbia.This flight was a multinationalSpacelabflight involving 88 experiments from eleven different nations. The experiments ranged frombiologysciences to simpleEarth observations.

Crew

Position	Astronaut
Commander	Steven R. Nagel Fourth and last spaceflight
Pilot	Terence T. Henricks Second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1	Jerry L. Ross Fourth spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2 Flight Engineer	Charles J. Precourt First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 3	Bernard A. Harris Jr. First spaceflight
Payload Specialist 1	Ulrich Walter,DLR Only spaceflight
Payload Specialist 2	Hans Schlegel,DLR First spaceflight
Member of Blue Team Member of Red Team

Backup crew

Position	Astronaut
Payload Specialist 1	Gerhard Thiele,DLR
Payload Specialist 2	Renate Brümmer,DLR

Crew seat assignments

Seat	Launch	Landing	Seats 1–4 are on the flight deck. Seats 5–7 are on the mid-deck.
1	Nagel
2	Henricks
3	Ross	Harris
4	Precourt
5	Harris	Ross
6	Walter
7	Schlegel

Launch

Columbiawas initially scheduled to launch in late February 1993. However, this date slipped to early March 1993 due to concerns with the tip-seal retainers in the main engines' oxidizer turbopumps. All three turbopumps were replaced at the pad but later inspection revealed the retainers to be in good condition. Further delays were caused by the burst of a hydraulic flex hose in the aft compartment during the Flight Readiness Test (FRT). The lines were removed and inspected and three replacements were installed.

Attempt	Planned	Result	Turnaround	Reason	Decision point	Weather go (%)	Notes
1	22 Mar 1993, 7:30:00 pm	Scrubbed	—	Technical	22 Mar 1993, 7:29 pm​(T-0:03)		Pad abort: oxidizer purge valve jammed on a chunk of O-ring, all 3 main engines changed.
2	24 Apr 1993, 12:00:00 am	Scrubbed	32 days 4 hours 30 minutes	Technical			Possible faulty reading with one of the inertial measurement units.
3	26 Apr 1993, 2:50:00 pm	Success	2 days 14 hours 50 minutes				Launched

Mission highlights

Columbiacarried to orbit the second reusable German Spacelab D-2 and demonstrated the shuttle's ability forinternational cooperation,exploration,andscientific research in space.The Spacelab module and an exterior experiment support structure contained inColumbia's payload bay comprised the Spacelab D-2 payload. The first German Spacelab flight, D-1, flew Shuttle missionSTS-61-Ain October 1985. TheUnited StatesandGermanygained valuable experience for future space station operations.

The D-2 mission, as it was commonly called, augmented the Germanmicrogravity researchprogram started by the D-1 mission. TheGerman Aerospace Center(DLR) had been tasked by theGerman Space Agency(DARA – Deutsche Agentur für Raumfahrtangelegenheiten) to conduct the second mission. DLR, NASA, theEuropean Space Agency(ESA), and agencies inFranceandJapancontributed to D-2's scientific program. Eleven nations participated in the experiments. Of the 88 experiments conducted on the D-2 mission, four were sponsored by NASA.

The crew worked in two shifts around-the-clock to complete investigations into the areas offluid physics,materials sciences,life sciences,biological sciences,technology,Earth observations,atmospheric physics,andastronomy.Many of the experiments advanced the research of the D-1 mission by conducting similar tests, using upgraded processing hardware, or implementing methods that took full advantage of the technical advancements since 1985. The D-2 mission also contained several new experiments which were not previously flown on the D-1 mission.

The mission surpassed the 365th day in space for the Space Shuttle fleet and the 100th day of flight time in space forColumbia,the fleet's oldestSpace Shuttle orbiter,on its fourteenth flight.

D-2 marked the firstteleroboticcapture of a free floating object by flight controllers inGermany.The crew conducted the first intravenous saline solution injection in space as part of an experiment to study the human body's response to direct fluid replacement as a countermeasure for amounts lost during space flight. They also successfully completed an in-flight maintenance procedure for collection of orbiterwaste water,which allowed the mission to continue.

STS-55 crew members participated in twoamateur radioexperiments, SAREX II from the United States and the German SAFEX. These experiments allowed students and amateur radio operators from around the world to talk directly with the Space Shuttle in orbit and participated in a SpaceMedicine conference with theMayo Clinic.

See also

• List of human spaceflights
• List of Space Shuttle missions
• Outline of space science
• Space Shuttle
• Space Shuttle abort modes

External links

• NASA mission summaryArchivedFebruary 22, 2012, at theWayback Machine
• STS-55 Video HighlightsArchivedDecember 23, 2014, at theWayback Machine
• NASA STS-55 official photo gallery