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Wikipedia

STS-80 was a Space Shuttle mission flown by Space Shuttle Columbia. The launch was originally scheduled for October 31, but was bumped back to November 19 for several reasons. Likewise, the landing, which was originally scheduled for December 5, was pushed back to December 7 after bad weather prevented landing for two days. The mission was the longest Shuttle mission to date, at 17 days, 15 hours, and 53 minutes. Although two spacewalks were planned for the mission, they were both canceled after problems with the airlock hatch prevented astronauts Tom Jones and Tammy Jernigan from exiting the orbiter.

Crew

Kenneth D. Cockrell (3), Commander
Kent V. Rominger (2), Pilot
Tamara E. Jernigan (4), Mission Specialist 1
Thomas D. Jones (3), Mission Specialist 2
F. Story Musgrave (6), Mission Specialist 3

Mission parameters

Mass: 13,006 kg payload
Perigee: 318 km
Apogee: 375 km
Inclination: 28.5°
Period: 91.5 min

Mission highlights

The mission deployed two satellites and successfully recovered them after they had performed their tasks.
Orbiting and Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer-Shuttle Pallet Satellite II (ORFEUS-SPAS II) was deployed on flight day one. It was captured on flight day sixteen.
The Wake Shield Facility-3 was deployed on flight day 4, and was recaptured three days later.
The mission was the longest mission in Space Shuttle history.
On this mission, Story Musgrave became the only American to fly on all five Space Shuttles - Challenger, Atlantis, Discovery, Endeavour, and Columbia.
Musgrave also tied a record for spaceflights, and set a record for being the oldest man in space. . Both records have since been surpassed.

Mission payload

Columbia brought with it two free floating satellites, both of which were on repeat visits to space. Also, a variety of equipment to be tested on two planned spacewalks was part of the payload. These would have been used to prepare for construction of the International Space Station. Included in the Shuttle's payload were

Orbiting and Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer-Shuttle Pallet Satellite II (ORFEUS-SPAS II)

Far Ultraviolet (FUV) Spectrograph
Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Spectrograph
Interstellar Medium Absorption Profile Spectrograph (IMAPS)
Surface Effects Sample Monitor (SESAM)
ATV Rendezvous Pre-Development Project (ARP)
Student Experiment on ASTRO-SPAS (SEAS)

Wake-Shield Facility (WSF-3)
NIH-R4
Space Experiment Module (SEM)
EVA Development Flight Tests (EDTF-5)

Crane
Battery Orbital Replacement Unit
Cable Caddy
Portable Work Platform

Portable Foot Restraint Work Station (PFRWS)
Temporary Equipment Restraint Aid (TERA)
Articulating Portable Foot Restraint

Body Restraint Tether (BRT)
Multi-Use Tether (MUT)

Visualization in an Experimental Water Capillary pumped Loop (VIEW-CPL)
Biological Research In Canister (BRIC)
Commercial Materials Dispersion Apparatus Instrumentation Technology Associates Experiment (CCM-A) (formerly STL/NIH-C-6)

Commercial MDA ITA Experiment (CMIX-5)

Scientific projects

Columbia carried into orbit two satellites that were released and recaptured after some time alone. The first was the Orbiting and Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer-Shuttle Pallet Satellite II (ORFEUS-SPAS II). The main component of the satellite, the ORFEUS telescope, had two spectrographs, for far and extreme ultraviolet. Another spectrograph, the Interstellar Medium Absorption Profile Spectrograph, was also on board the satellite. Several payloads not relevant to astronomy rounded out the satellite. It performed without problems for its flight, taking 422 observations of almost 150 astronomical bodies, ranging from the moon to extra-galactic stars and a quasar. Being the second flight of ORFEUS-SPAS II allowed for more sensitive equipment, causing it to provide more than twice the data of its initial run.

Also deployed from Columbia was the Wake-Shield Facility (WSF), a satellite that created an ultra-vacuum behind it, allowing for the creation of semiconductor thin films for use in advanced electronics. WSF created seven films before being recaptured by Columbia's robotic arm after three days of flight. The 12-foot diameter craft was on its third mission, including STS-60, when hardware problems prevented it from deploying off the robotic arm. Wake Shield was designed and built by the Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center at the University of Houston in conjunction with its industrial partner, Space Industries, Inc.

Another inclusion was a Space Experiment Module (SEM). The SEM included student research projects selected to fly into space. This was the first flight of the program. Among the experiments conducted were analysis of bacteria growth on food in orbit, crystal growth in space, and microgravity's effect on a pendulum.

NIH.R4 was an experiment conducted for the National Institute of Health and Oregon Health Sciences University. It was designed to test the effects of spaceflight on circulation and vascular constriction. Biological Research in Canister (BRIC) explored gravity's effects on tobacco and tomato seedlings. Visualization in an Experimental Water Capillary Pumped Loop (VIEW-CPL) was conducted to test a new idea in thermal spacecraft management. The Commercial MDA ITA Experiment were a variety of experiments submitted by high school and middle school students sponsored by Information Technology Associates.

Mission Background

Astronauts were selected for the mission on January 17, 1996. Stacking of the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) began September 9, 1996. On September 18, the launch date was bumped back from no earlier than (NET) October 31 to November 8. Payload doors were closed on September 25. The following day, the External fuel tank was mated to the SRBs inside the Vehicle Assembly Building. Further progress was delayed while two windows on the orbiter were replaced; NASA feared that they might be susceptible to breakage after seven and eight flights. Columbia was rolled over to the VAB on October 9 to begin final assembly preparations. On October 11, Columbia was mated with the external fuel tank, and the payload was delivered and transferred. Rollout to Pad 39B occurred on October 16, which was followed by flight readiness checks of the main propulsion system. After a Flight Readiness Review on October 28, an additional FRR was requested to further analyze the Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) due to nozzle erosion that occurred on STS-79; on the 29th, a fuel pump failed, delaying the fueling process of Columbia. The erosion problem led to a week long delay instituted on November 4. A launch date of November 15 was set, contingent on a successful Atlas launch two days prior. The forecast of bad weather pushed the launch back even further, to a date of November 19.

Mission timeline

November 19 (Flight Day 1 - Launch)

'Columbia lifted off from Pad 39B at 2:55.47 p.m. EST (19:55.47 UTC). While the fuel tank was being filled, the concentration of hydrogen in the aft engine compartment was found to be rising. Tanking was continued, albeit with constant vigilance. With less than a minute remaining before that launch, the concentration rose again, causing a hold. It was decided the discrepancy was within range limits, and launch was allowed to proceed. A Hydrogen leak was also detected in the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate on an umbilical that connects the external tank to the pad. This was also within an acceptable range, and had no effect on the launch count. All in all, the launch was delayed by one minute and forty-seven seconds. Although weather delayed the launch by five days, it was not a factor on the 19th.

At 8 hours, 15 minutes mission elapsed time (MET) (04:11 UTC), ORFEUS SPAS II was released from Columbia's robotic arm. The deployment came an hour later after the pre-deployment checkout took longer than expected. After three hours of free flight, the telescope was observed to be functioning properly by ground controllers. Do to this delay, the astronauts were allowed to sleep one hour later than they were originally scheduled.

November 20 (Flight Day 2)

Now leading ORFEUS-SPAS II by approximately 25 nautical miles, Columbia began preparing for the rest of the mission. The CMIX-5 was activated, with Story Musgrave being the main researcher. Astronauts Rominger and Jernigan activated the VIEW-CPL experiment. Astronauts Tom Jones and Tammy Jernigan tested the Space Vision System, a means for providing visual information to robotic arm operators when they would otherwise be operating it blind.

On the ground, NASA conducted an inspection of the launch pad, and found no significant damage. Also, the SRB recovery ships had successfully captured the jettisoned boosters and all their equipment.

November 21 (Flight Day 3)

Preparations began for the mission's two spacewalks, as Tom Jones, Tammy Jernigan, and Story Musgrave checked the three space suits. No problems were found. Astronauts began conducting the VIEW-CPL experiment to test the feasibility of new methods of cooling. Musgrave also completed pre-checks of the WSF before its launch the next day. An interview was also conducted between Fox News and astronauts Cockrell and Rominger. Scientists on the ground began gathering data from ORFEUS-SPAS.

The Solid Rocket Boosters were brought back to land, where an initial inspection was conducted, showing no apparent damage.

November 22 (Flight Day 4 - Wake Shield Deployment)

November 23 (Flight Day 5)

November 24 (Flight Day 6)

November 25 (Flight Day 7 - Wake Shield Retrieval)

November 26 (Flight Day 8)

November 27 (Flight Day 9)

November 28 (Flight Day 10 - EVA Attempt)

November 29 (Flight Day 11)

November 30 (Flight Day 12)

December 01 (Flight Day 13)

December 02 (Flight Day 14 - Extension)

December 03 (Flight Day 15 - Retrieval)

December 04 (Flight Day 16)

December 05 (Flight Day 17 - Planned Landing)

December 06 (Flight Day 18 - Planned Landing)

December 07 (Flight Day 19 - Landing)

Wake-up calls

In what has become a tradition for NASA spaceflights since the days of Gemini, the crew of STS-80 was played a special musical track at the start of each day in space. Each track is specially chosen and often has a particular meaning to an individual member of the crew, or it is somehow applicable to their situation.