STS-42

Table of contents

1 Crew 2 Mission Parameters 3 Mission Highlights 4 Related articles 5 External links

Crew

• Ronald J. Grabe (3), Commander
• Stephen S. Oswald (1), Pilot
• Norman E. Thagard (4) , Mission Specialist 1
• David C. Hilmers (4), Mission Specialist 2
• William F. Readdy (1), Mission Specialist 3
• Roberta L. Bondar (1), Payload Specialist 1 (Canada)
• Ulf D. Merbold (2), Payload Specialist 2 (ESA/Germany)

• Mass:
  • Orbiter landing with payload: 98,545 kg
  • Payload: 13,066 kg
• Perigee: 291 km
• Apogee: 307 km
• Inclination: 57.0°
• Period: 90.5 min

Carried into orbit the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1), a pressurized manned Spacelab module, to explore in depth the complex effects of weightlessness on living organisms and materials processing. The international crew, divided into Red and Blue teams, conducted experiments on the human nervous system's adaptation to low gravity and the effects of microgravity on other life forms such as shrimp eggs, lentil seedlings, fruit fly eggs and bacteria. Low gravity materials processing experiments included crystal growth from a variety of substances such as enzymes, mercury iodine and a virus. Other payloads included 10 Get Away Special (GAS) canisters, a number of middeck payloads and two Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP) experiments. Middeck payloads included Gelation of SOLS: Applied microgravity research (GOSAMR), Investigations into Polymer Membrane Processing (IPMP) and the Radiation Monitoring Experiment (RME-III).

Landing: January 30, l992, 8:07:17 a.m. PST, Runway 22, Edwards Air Force Base, CA., Rollout distance: 9,811 feet. Mission extended one day for continued scientific experimentation. Orbiter returned to KSC on February 16, 1992. Landing Weight: 218,016 lbs.

Related articles

• Space science
• Space shuttle
• List of space shuttle missions
• List of human spaceflights chronologically

• NASA mission summary