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STS-38
Part of STS Family

STS-38 STS-38 Atlantis, OV-104, lifting off from KSC LC Pad during night launch Credit: NASA
Deployed a classified payload. Launch delayed from July 1990 for series of technical problems. First post-Challenger landing at KSC after mission extended one day due to unacceptable crosswinds at original planned landing site, Edwards.
AKA: Atlantis. Launched: 1990-11-15. Returned: 1990-11-20. Number crew: 5 . Duration: 4.91 days.
Orbits of Earth: 79. Landed at: Runway 33 at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Landing Speed: 359 kph. Touchdown miss distance: 430.00 m. Landing Rollout: 2,712.00 m. Payloads: DoD Mission.
NASA Official Mission Narrative Mission Name: STS-38 (37) Atlantis (7) Pad 39-A 39) 37th Shuttle mission 7th Flight OV-104 5th Rollback 5th Night launch Extended mission Diverted landing 6th KSC Landing Crew: Richard O. Covey (3), Commander Frank L. Culbertson, Jr. (1), Pilot Robert C. Springer (2), Mission Specialist 1 Carl J. Meade (1), Mission Specialist 2 Charles D. Gemar (1), Mission Specialist 3 Milestones: Flow A: OPF - March 14, 1990 VAB - June 8, 1990 PAD - June 18, 1990 Flow B (rollback): VAB - Aug. 9,1990 OPF - Aug. 15, 1990 VAB - Oct. 2,1990 PAD - Oct. 12, 1990 Payload: DoD(7) Mission Objectives: Launch: November 15, 1990, 6:48:13 p.m. EST. Launch originally scheduled for July 1990. However, liquid hydrogen leak found on orbiter Columbia during STS-35 countdown prompted three precautionary tanking tests on Atlantis at pad June 29, July 13 and July 25. Tests confirmed hydrogen fuel leak on external tank- side of external tank/orbiter 17-inch quick disconnect umbilical. Could not repair at pad and Atlantis rolled back to VAB Aug. 9, demated and transferred to OPF. During rollback, vehicle parked outside VAB about a day while COLUMBIA/STS-35 stack transferred to pad for launch. Outside, Atlantis suffered minor hail damage to tiles during thunderstorm. After repairs made in OPF, Atlantis transferred to VAB for mating Oct. 2. During hoisting operations, platform beam that should have been removed from aft compartment fell and caused minor damage which was repaired. Vehicle rolled out to Pad A Oct. 12. Fourth mini-tanking test performed Oct. 24, with no excessive hydrogen or oxygen leakage detected. At Flight Readiness Review, launch date set for Nov. 9. Launch reset for Nov. 15 due to payload problems. Liftoff occurred during classified launch window lying within launch period extending from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. EST, Nov. 15, 1990. Launch Weight: Classified. Orbit: Altitude: 142 Inclination: 28.5 Orbits: 79 Duration: 4 days, 21 hours, 54 minutes, 31 seconds. Distance: 2,030,000 miles Hardware: SRB: BI-039 SRM: 360W012 ET : 40/LWT-33 MLP : 1 SSME-1: SN-2019 SSME-2: SN-2022 SSME-3: SN-2027 Landing: November 20, 1990, 4:42:42 p.m. EST, Runway 33, Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Rollout distance: 9,032 feet. Rollout time: 57 seconds. Mission extended one day due to unacceptable crosswinds at original planned landing site, Edwards. Continued adverse conditions led to decision to shift landing to KSC. First KSC landing for Atlantis, first end-of-mission landing at KSC since April 1985. Landing Weight: 191,091 lbs. Mission Highlights: Seventh mission dedicated to Department of Defense.
Family: Manned spaceflight.
People: Springer,
Covey,
Culbertson,
Meade,
Gemar.
Country: USA.
Spacecraft: Atlantis.
Projects: STS.
Launch Sites: Cape Canaveral.
Agency: NASA,
NASA Houston.
More at: 7968.
Photo Gallery
 | STS-38 STS-38 Atlantis, OV-104, lifts off from KSC LC Pad during night launch Credit: NASA |
 | STS-38 STS-38 Mission Specialist (MS) Springer uses camera on OV-104 aft flight deck Credit: NASA |
 | STS-38 STS-38 crewmembers eat meal on OV-104's middeck Credit: NASA |
 | STS-38 STS-38 MS Gemar with camera and ARMY decal on OV-104's forward flight deck Credit: NASA |
1990 November 15 - .
23:48 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A.
Launch Platform: MLP1. LV Family: Shuttle.
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.
- STS-38 - .
Call Sign: Atlantis. Crew: Covey,
Culbertson,
Gemar,
Meade,
Springer.
Payload: Atlantis F07 / DoD. Mass: 115,900 kg (255,500 lb). Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Covey,
Culbertson,
Gemar,
Meade,
Springer.
Agency: NASA Houston.
Program: STS.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned spaceplane. Flight: STS-38.
Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle.
Spacecraft: Atlantis.
Duration: 4.91 days. Decay Date: 1990-11-20 . USAF Sat Cat: 20935 . COSPAR: 1990-097A. Apogee: 226 km (140 mi). Perigee: 78 km (48 mi). Inclination: 28.5000 deg. Period: 87.50 min. Manned five crew. Deployed a classified payload. Orbits of Earth: 79. Payloads: DoD Mission..
1990 November 20 - .
- Landing of STS-38 - .
Return Crew: Covey,
Culbertson,
Gemar,
Meade,
Springer.
Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Covey,
Culbertson,
Gemar,
Meade,
Springer.
Program: STS.
Flight: STS-38.
STS-38 landed at 21:40 GMT. Landed at: Runway 33 at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Landing Speed: 359 kph. Touchdown miss distance: 430.00 m. Landing Rollout: 2,712.00 m..
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