At its Best: Remembering Columbia's STS-32 Mission, OTD in 1990

By Ben Evans, on January 9th, 2021

OTD in 1990, Columbia launched STS-32, a mission which ticked off almost everything the shuttle could do: satellite deployment, retrieval, rendezvous & long-duration flight. And a highly classified birthday, too. […]

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At Its Best: Remembering STS-32, Thirty Years On

By Ben Evans, on January 5th, 2020

Thirty years ago, this month, the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) was plucked from orbit after almost six years. It was a triumphant moment as the Space Shuttle Program sought to recover from the loss of Challenger. Photo Credit: NASA

Thirty years ago, in January 1990, the Space Shuttle turned a corner. Long touted […]

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'They Didn't Have a Clue': Remembering Endeavour's STS-57 Mission, A Quarter-Century On

By Ben Evans, on June 24th, 2018

With the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm deftly operated by Nancy Sherlock, astronauts David Low and Jeff Wisoff are maneuvered around Endeavour’s payload bay. The Spacehab module is clearly visible in the foreground. Photo Credit: NASA

June has always been a significant month in the annals of women in space. In June 1963, […]

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'What a Lucky Person I Am': 25 Years Since STS-43 (Part 2)

By Ben Evans, on August 14th, 2016

The STS-43 consisted of (from left) David Low, Shannon Lucid, Jim Adamson, John Blaha, and Mike Baker. Theirs was the fifth-longest shuttle mission in history at the time. Photo Credit: NASA, via Joachim Becker/SpaceFacts.de

A quarter-century has now passed since five astronauts roared into orbit to complete the fifth-longest space shuttle mission at […]

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'Putting Your Thinking Hat On': 25 Years Since STS-43 (Part 1)

By Ben Evans, on August 13th, 2016

 

Atlantis roars into the late morning Florida sky on 2 August 1991, 25 years ago this month. Photo Credit: NASA, via Joachim Becker/SpaceFacts.de

Twenty-five years ago, this month, Space Shuttle Atlantis flew a mission which harked back to the past and set in place a cornerstone to enable the exploration of the […]

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'The Granddaddy of All Experiments': 25 Years Since the STS-32 Mission to Snatch LDEF (Part 2)

By Ben Evans, on January 4th, 2015

The 12-sided Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) was intended to spend less than a year in orbit, but ended up remaining for almost six years, traveling the equivalent distance from Earth to Saturn. Photo Credit: NASA, via Joachim Becker/SpaceFacts.de

A quarter-century ago, next week, the crew of Columbia embarked on the longest shuttle […]

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'What You Saw Was What You Got': 25 Years Since the STS-32 Mission to Snatch LDEF (Part 1)

By Ben Evans, on January 3rd, 2015

Twenty-five years ago, next week, the crew of Shuttle Columbia retrieved the giant Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). The satellite’s orbit had degraded to such an extent that it was only weeks away from an uncontrolled re-entry. Photo Credit: NASA

Twenty-five years ago, next week, on 9 January 1990, the crew of Columbia […]

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A Legacy of Women in Space: Twenty Years Since STS-57 (Part 2)

By Ben Evans, on June 23rd, 2013

With the RMS robotic arm deftly operated by Nancy Sherlock, astronauts David Low and Jeff Wisoff are maneuvered around Endeavour’s payload bay. The Spacehab module is clearly visible in the foreground. Photo Credit: NASA

Fifty years ago this month, the first woman ventured into space. Thirty years ago, also this month, the first […]

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A Legacy of Women in Space: Twenty Years Since STS-57 (Part 1)

By Ben Evans, on June 22nd, 2013

Joined by Pilot Brian Duffy, STS-57 Mission Specialists Janice Voss (left) and Nancy Sherlock made history on the flight. For the first time, a civilian woman and a military woman served together aboard the same space mission. Photo Credit: NASA

Fifty years ago this month, the first woman ventured into space. Thirty years […]

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