STS-95
Mission / eventCompleted
John Glenn returns to orbit as Discovery conducts aging and solar research
STS-95 returned Mercury astronaut John Glenn to space at age 77, making him the oldest person then to fly in orbit. Discovery's research program compared aspects of aging and spaceflight, deployed and retrieved SPARTAN-201 for solar observations, and operated SPACEHAB experiments in biology, materials, and technology.
Mission photo archive
Reviewed photographs documenting STS-95. Every image links to its official NASA catalog record.
STS-95 official archive image
Official NASA archive imagery explicitly cataloged for STS-95.
STS-95 in-flight crew portrait
STS095-328-031 (29 Oct.-7 Nov. 1998) --- With their feet anchored in the hatchway, the seven STS-95 crew members pose for their traditional in-flight crew portrait. Astronaut Curtis L. Brown Jr., commander, appears at right center in the pyramid. Others, clockwise from there, are Steven W. Lindsey, pilot; Stephen K. Robinson, mission specialist; Pedro Duque, mission specialist representing the European Space Agency (ESA); payload specialist Chiaki Naito-Mukai, who represents Japan's National Space Development Agency (NASDA); Scott E. Parazynski, mission specialist; and United States Senator John H. Glenn Jr. (D.-Ohio), payload specialist.
STS-95 crew in Spacehab
STS095-E-5109 (2 Nov. 1998) --- Astronauts Steven W. Lindsey (left), STS-95 pilot, and Scott E. Parazynski, mission specialist, work with cameras and other supportive gear for experiments on Spacehab. The photo was taken with an electronic still camera (ESC) at 05:11:28 GMT, Nov. 2.
Launch record
Explore this mission’s launch, including its vehicle, launch site, payload, and outcome.
OV-103 Research/FF
launch attemptOrbital attemptcompletedNo reviewed launch image9 connectionsMission dossier
Flight profile, locations, hardware, and outcome in the same reference format used throughout the archive.
Flight profile
Places and recovery
Mission record
- Mission type
- Bioscience research and astronomy[1]
- Vehicle
- STS-95 flight stack[1]
- Orbiter
- Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103)[1]
- Crew and station travelers
- 7[1]
Trajectory profile
2 sourcesFollow the mission from departure through its flight environment, destination, and final phase. This sequence is not a scale orbital plot.
Mission locations
2 sourcesDocumented surface, test, landing, and recovery locations. Map links use the cited place name or exact coordinates; AstronautAtlas does not geocode or estimate missing positions.
Departure or test site
Launch site
Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39B
Landing site
Landing site
Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33
Assignment Manifest
The flight crew and the backup team assigned to train for this mission.
Prime crew
7 assignmentsMission Purpose
2 sources- Conduct Spacehab life-science and aging-related research, including investigations involving John Glenn.
- Deploy and retrieve Spartan 201 for solar-wind and solar-corona observations.
- Operate astronomy, materials, biological, and technology payloads.
- Support international crew science participation by Japan and Spain.
Planned Flight Plan
2 sources- Launch
Discovery research mission begins
Discovery launched from Kennedy Space Center with Spacehab, Spartan, and a seven-person crew.
- On orbit
Spacehab research
The crew conducted bioscience, aging, materials, and astronomy investigations inside Spacehab and the .
- Free-flyer operations
Spartan solar observations
The crew deployed and retrieved Spartan 201 for solar research.
- Landing
Kennedy landing
Discovery landed at Kennedy Space Center after a nearly ten-day mission.
Mission Timeline
2 sources- October 29, 1998
Launch
Discovery launched John Glenn on his second spaceflight.
- Early mission
SPARTAN-201 deployed
The observatory began independent solar-corona observations.
- Research campaign
Aging studies conducted
Glenn and the crew supported life-science and SPACEHAB investigations.
- November 7, 1998
Landing
Discovery returned Glenn, SPARTAN, samples, and experiment data.
Open operation record