| STS-96 | |||||
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| Mission statistics | |||||
| Mission name | STS-96 | ||||
| Space shuttle | Discovery | ||||
| Launch pad | 39-B | ||||
| Launch date | 27 May 1999 06:49 EDT | ||||
| Landing | 6 June 1999 02:02:43 EDT, KSC, Runway 15 | ||||
| Mission duration | 9 days, 19 hours, 13 minutes, 57 seconds | ||||
| Orbital altitude | 320 kilometres (170 nmi) | ||||
| Orbital inclination | 51.6 degrees | ||||
| Distance traveled | 6,000,000 kilometres (3,700,000 mi) | ||||
| Docking | |||||
| Docking date | 29 May 1999 04:23 UTC | ||||
| Undocking date | 3 June 1999 22:39 UTC | ||||
| Time docked | 5 days, 18 hours, 15 minutes | ||||
| Crew photo | |||||
| Related missions | |||||
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STS-96 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) flown by Space Shuttle Discovery, and the first shuttle flight to dock with the International Space Station. The shuttle carried the Spacehab module in the payload, filled with cargo for station outfitting. STS-96 launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on 27 May 1999 at 06:49 EDT
Contents |
| Position | Astronaut | |
|---|---|---|
| Commander | Kent V. Rominger Fourth spaceflight |
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| Pilot | Rick D. Husband First spaceflight |
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| Mission Specialist 1 | Tamara E. Jernigan Fifth spaceflight |
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| Mission Specialist 2 | Ellen Ochoa Third spaceflight |
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| Mission Specialist 3 | Daniel T. Barry Second spaceflight |
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| Mission Specialist 4 | Julie Payette, CSA First spaceflight |
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| Mission Specialist 5 | Valery I. Tokarev, RKA First spaceflight |
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STS-96 was a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station carrying the Spacehab Double Module (DM) 13th Spacehab overall (6th dual module use).
Also 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, 483 millimetres (19.0 in) 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.
A copy of Blizzard Entertainment's StarCraft real-time strategy game was also flown aboard STS-96.[1] It resides at Blizzard's headquarters in Irvine, CA.
NASA began a tradition of playing music to astronauts during the Gemini program, which was first used to wake up a flight crew during Apollo 15.[2] Each track is specially chosen, often by their families, and usually has a special meaning to an individual member of the crew, or is applicable to their daily activities.[2][3]
| Flight Day | Song | Artist/Composer | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 2 | "California Dreamin" | Beach Boys | wav mp3 Transcript |
| Day 3 | "Danger Zone" | Kenny Loggins | wav mp3 Transcript |
| Day 4 | Themes from Star Wars | Space Center Intermediate Band | wav mp3 Transcript |
| Day 5 | "Morning Colors" | US Coast Guard Band | wav mp3 Transcript |
| Day 6 | "Amarillo by Morning" | George Strait | wav mp3 Transcript |
| Day 7 | "Exultate Jubilate" | Mozart | wav mp3 Transcript |
| Day 9 | "Free Bird" | Lynyrd Skynyrd | wav mp3 Transcript |
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