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Columbia 180 Turn and Burn
| Title |
Columbia 180 Turn and Burn |
| Full Description |
The Space Shuttle Columbia and her crew of six lifted off from PAD 39B at 1:09 p.m. EDT, on a ten-day mission. The primary payload of Space Shuttle mission STS-52 is the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II (LAGEOS II). |
| Date |
10/22/1992 |
| NASA Center |
Kennedy Space Center |
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Launch Preparation
| Title |
Launch Preparation |
| Full Description |
Inside the nose cone of this Delta rocket is Goddard's geophysics research satellite, a 906-lb. (411-kg) satellite that looked more like a dimpled cosmic golf ball. The spacecraft, which NASA launched from the Western Test Range in California in 1976, provided a stable point in the sky to reflect pulses of laser light. By timing the return of the laser beam to an accuracy of about one ten-billionth of a second, scientists expected to measure the relative location of participating ground stations within one inch or a few centimeters. These measurements allowed scientists to track and analyze tectonic plate movement and continental drift. The spacecraft, called the LAser GEOdynamics Satellite (LAGEOS), was the precursor to the current-day Global Positioning System (GPS) system operated by the Defense Department. |
| Date |
01/01/1976 |
| NASA Center |
Goddard Space Flight Center |
|
Laser Geodynamics Satellite
…
| Name of Image |
Laser Geodynamics Satellite I |
| Date of Image |
1976-01-01 |
| Full Description |
The LAGEOS I (Laser Geodynamics Satellite) was developed and launched by the Marshall Space Flight Center on May 4, 1976 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California . The two-foot diameter satellite orbited the Earth from pole to pole and measured the movements of the Earth's surface. |
|
Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-
…
| Name of Image |
Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-52) launch |
| Date of Image |
1992-10-22 |
| Full Description |
The Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-52) thunders off Launch Pad 39B, embarking on a 10-day flight and carrying a crew of six who will deploy the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II (LAGEOS). LAGEOS is a spherical passive satellite covered with reflectors which are illuminated by ground-based lasers to determine precise measurements of the Earth's crustal movements. The other major payload on this mission is the United States Microgravity Payload 1 (USMP-1), where experiments will be conducted by crew members while in low earth orbit (LEO). |
|
Columbia (STS-52) launch
| Name of Image |
Columbia (STS-52) launch |
| Date of Image |
1992-10-22 |
| Full Description |
The Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-52) thunders off Launch Pad 39B, embarking on a 10-day flight and carrying a crew of six who will deploy the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II (LAGEOS). LAGEOS is a spherical passive satellite covered with reflectors which are illuminated by ground-based lasers to determine precise measurements of the Earth's crustal movements. The other major payload on this mission is the United States Microgravity Payload 1 (USMP-1), where experiments will be conducted by crew members while in low earth orbit (LEO). |
|
Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-
…
| Name of Image |
Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-52) launch |
| Date of Image |
1992-10-22 |
| Full Description |
The Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-52) thunders off Launch Pad 39B, embarking on a 10-day flight and carrying a crew of six who will deploy the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II (LAGEOS). LAGEOS is a spherical passive satellite covered with reflectors which are illuminated by ground-based lasers to determine precise measurements of the Earth's crustal movements. The other major payload on this mission is the United States Microgravity Payload 1 (USMP-1), where experiments will be conducted by crew members while in low earth orbit (LEO). |
|
STS-52 Crew Portrait
| Name of Image |
STS-52 Crew Portrait |
| Date of Image |
1992-08-01 |
| Full Description |
Five NASA astronauts and one Canadian payload specialist composed the STS-52 crew. Pictured on the back row, left to right, are Michael A. Baker, pilot, James B. Wetherbee, commander, and Steven G. Maclean, payload specialist. On the front row, left to right, are mission specialists Charles (Lacy) Veach, Tamara Jernigan, and William Shepherd. Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on October 22, 1992 at 1:09:39 p.m. (EDT), the crew?s primary objectives were the deployment of the Laser Geodynamic Satellite (LAGEOS II) and operation of the U.S. Microgravity Payload-1 (USMP-1). |
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STS-52 Mission Insignia
| Name of Image |
STS-52 Mission Insignia |
| Date of Image |
1992-10-20 |
| Full Description |
The STS-52 insignia, designed by the mission?s crew members, features a large gold star to symbolize the crew's mission on the frontiers of space. A gold star is often used to symbolize the frontier period of the American West. The red star in the shape of the Greek letter lambda represents both the laser measurements taken from the Laser Geodynamic Satellite (LAGEOS II) and the Lambda Point Experiment, which was part of the United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-l). The remote manipulator and maple leaf are emblematic of the Canadian payload specialist who conducted a series of Canadian flight experiments (CANEX-2), including the Space Vision System test. |
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Columbia (STS-52) landing
| Name of Image |
Columbia (STS-52) landing |
| Date of Image |
1992-11-01 |
| Full Description |
Aligned straight on with the red approach lights, the Orbiter Columbia (STS-52) glides toward Runway 33 of Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility. The six member crew successfully completed deployment of the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II (LAGEOS), which is a spherical passive satellite covered with reflectors which are illuminated by ground-based lasers to determine precise measurements of the Earth's crustal movements. The crew also completed a series of materials processing experiments in the microgravity environment aboard the United States Microgravity Payload 1 (USMP-1) carried in the orbiter's cargo bay. |
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A Delta Rocket Launches
| Title |
A Delta Rocket Launches |
| Explanation |
A Delta rocket [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/elv/DELTA/delta.htm ] is seen being launched in 1988. In use since 1960, Delta rockets [ http://www.dtic.dla.mil/airforcelink/pa/factsheets/Delta_II_Medium_Launch_Vehicl.html ] have been launched successfully over 200 times. Scientific satellites placed into orbit by a Delta rocket include IUE [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950929.html ], COBE [ http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/astro/cobe/cobe_home.html ], LAGEOS-I [ http://cddis.gsfc.nasa.gov/920_1/LAGEOS1.html ], ROSAT [ http://www.rosat.mpe-garching.mpg.de/ ], EUVE [ http://www.cea.berkeley.edu/HomePage.html ], GEOTAIL [ http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/ISTP/geotail.html ], and WIND [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/database/www-nmc?94-071A ]. A Delta rocket is scheduled to launch the X-ray Timing Explorer [ http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/0/docs/xte/XTE.html ] Satellite (XTE) in the very near future. Commercial launches include INMARSAT [ http://www.worldserver.pipex.com/inmarsat/ ]. Many recent Delta launches have placed Navstar [ http://www.unavco.ucar.edu/ ] Global Positioning System [ http://www.navcen.uscg.mil/gps/gps.htm ] satellites into orbit. Delta rockets are manufactured for the USAF [ http://www.rl.af.mil:8001/AF/af-map.html ] and NASA by McDonnell Douglas [ http://pat.mdc.com/ ] Space Systems Co. |
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STS-52 Columbia, Orbiter Veh
…
| Title |
STS-52 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, crew insignia |
| Description |
STS-52 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, crew insignia (logo), the Official insignia of the NASA STS-52 mission, features a large gold star to symbolize the crew's mission on the frontiers of space. A gold star is often used to symbolize the frontier period of the American West. The red star in the shape of the Greek letter lambda represents both the laser measurements to be taken from the Laser Geodynamic Satellite (LAGEOS II) and the Lambda Point Experiment, which is part of the United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-1). The LAGEOS II is a joint Italian \ United States (U.S.) satellite project intended to further our understanding of global plate tectonics. The USMP-1 is a microgravity facility which has French and U.S. experiments designed to test the theory of cooperative phase transitions and to study the solid\liquid interface of a metallic alloy in the low gravity environment. The remote manipulator system (RMS) arm and maple leaf are emblematic of the Canadian payload speci |
| Date Taken |
1992-10-22 |
|
STS-52 deployment of LAGEOS
…
| Title |
STS-52 deployment of LAGEOS / IRIS spacecraft from OV-102's payload bay (PLB) |
| Description |
During STS-52 deployment activities, the Italian Research Interim Stage (IRIS), a spinning solid fuel rocket, lifts the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II (LAGEOS II) out of its support cradle and above the thermal shield aboard Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102. The remote manipulator system (RMS) arm, with Material Exposure in Low Earth Orbit (MELEO), is positioned above the port side sill longeron. On the mission-peculiar equipment support structure (MPESS) carriers in the center foreground is the United States (U.S.) Microgravity Payload 1 (USMP-1) with Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS), MEPHISTO (its French abbreviation), Lambda Point Experiment (LPE) cryostat assembly (identified by JPL insignia), and LPE vacuum maintenance assembly. Other payload bay (PLB) experiments visible in this image include: (on the starboard wall (left)) the Canadian Experiments 2 (CANEX-2) Space Vision System (SVS) Canadian Target Assembly (CTA) (foreground) and the Attitude Sensor Package (ASP); |
| Date Taken |
1992-11-01 |
|
STS-52 deployment of LAGEOS
…
| Title |
STS-52 deployment of LAGEOS / IRIS spacecraft from OV-102's payload bay (PLB) |
| Description |
During STS-52 deployment activities, the Italian Research Interim Stage (IRIS), a spinning solid fuel rocket, lifts the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II (LAGEOS II) out of its support cradle and above the thermal shield aboard Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102. The remote manipulator system (RMS) arm, with Material Exposure in Low Earth Orbit (MELEO), is positioned above the port side sill longeron. On the mission-peculiar equipment support structure (MPESS) carriers in the center foreground is the United States (U.S.) Microgravity Payload 1 (USMP-1) with Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS), MEPHISTO (its French abbreviation), Lambda Point Experiment (LPE) cryostat assembly (identified by JPL insignia), and LPE vacuum maintenance assembly. Other payload bay (PLB) experiments visible in this image include: (on the starboard wall (left)) the Canadian Experiments 2 (CANEX-2) Space Vision System (SVS) Canadian Target Assembly (CTA) (foreground) and the Attitude Sensor Package (ASP); |
| Date Taken |
1992-11-01 |
|
STS-52 deployment of LAGEOS
…
| Title |
STS-52 deployment of LAGEOS / IRIS spacecraft from OV-102's payload bay (PLB) |
| Description |
During STS-52 deployment activities, the Italian Research Interim Stage (IRIS), a spinning solid fuel rocket, lifts the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II (LAGEOS II) out of its support cradle and above the thermal shield aboard Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102. The remote manipulator system (RMS) arm, with Material Exposure in Low Earth Orbit (MELEO), is positioned above the port side sill longeron. On the mission-peculiar equipment support structure (MPESS) carriers in the center foreground is the United States (U.S.) Microgravity Payload 1 (USMP-1) with Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS), MEPHISTO (its French abbreviation), Lambda Point Experiment (LPE) cryostat assembly (identified by JPL insignia), and LPE vacuum maintenance assembly. Other payload bay (PLB) experiments visible in this image include: (on the starboard wall (left)) the Canadian Experiments 2 (CANEX-2) Space Vision System (SVS) Canadian Target Assembly (CTA) (foreground) and the Attitude Sensor Package (ASP); |
| Date Taken |
1992-11-01 |
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