Challenger space shuttle pbs software#

The first orbiter to launch and land at night on mission STS-8, Challenger also made the first Space Shuttle landing at Kennedy Space Center, concluding mission STS 41-B. Image to right: Space Shuttle Challenger leaps from the launch pad to begin mission STS-41-C. The orbiter launched the first American woman, Sally Ride, into space on mission STS-7 and was the first to carry two U.S. That mission saw the first spacewalk of the Space Shuttle program, as well as the deployment of the first satellite in the Tracking and Data Relay System constellation. Like its historic predecessors, Challenger and her crews made significant scientific contributions in the spirit of exploration.Ĭhallenger launched on her maiden voyage, STS-6, on April 4, 1983.

The Apollo 17 lunar module also carried the name of Challenger. Space Shuttle orbiter Challenger was named after the British Naval research vessel HMS Challenger that sailed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans during the 1870s. The second orbiter to join NASA's Space Shuttle fleet, OV-099 arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in July 1982, bearing the name 'Challenger.' Although the job was easier than it would have been to convert NASA's first orbiter, Enterprise, it was a major process that involved the disassembly and replacement of many parts and components. The vehicle's conversion began late that year. In early 1979, NASA awarded Space Shuttle orbiter manufacturer Rockwell a contract to convert STA-099 to a space-rated orbiter, OV-099.

Image to left: Challenger is seen against a breathtaking backdrop of blue water and white clouds in this photo, taken from a camera aboard the Shuttle Pallet Satellite during mission STS-7. The best solution was to submit the vehicle to a year of intensive vibration and thermal testing.

Challenger space shuttle pbs software#

Computer software at the time wasn't yet advanced enough to accurately predict how STA-099's new, optimized design would respond to intense heat and stress. In the late 1970s, NASA strived for a lighter weight orbiter, but a test vehicle was needed to ensure the lighter airframe could handle the stress of space flight. But despite its Earth-bound beginnings, STA-099 was destined for space. First called STA-099, Challenger was built to serve as a test vehicle for the Space Shuttle program.