Crewed spacecraftExpended
STS-44 flight stack
Mission-specific Space Shuttle flight stack
Vehicle and mission dossier
STS-44
STS-44 deployed a Defense Support Program missile-warning satellite and Inertial Upper on the first flight day. Atlantis's six-person crew also operated contamination, radiation, optical, medical, visual-performance, bioreactor, and terrain-observation experiments during a nearly seven-day Department of Defense mission.
Flight profile
- Launch
- November 24, 1991
- Landing
- December 1, 1991
- Mission duration
- 6d 22h 50m
Places and recovery
Vehicle record
- Orbiter
- Space Shuttle Atlantis
- Mission or test
- STS-44
- Configuration
- , external tank, two , and three main engines
- Status
- Mission hardware disposition recorded by component
- Mission type
- Department of Defense mission
- Crew and station travelers
- 6
- Program
- Space Shuttle
- Crew complement
- 6
- Outcome
- Completed
- Archive classification
- Human spaceflight
- Primary objective
- Department of Defense Space Shuttle mission flown by Atlantis.
Flight objectives
- Launch Atlantis and its crew safely into .
- Department of Defense Space Shuttle mission flown by Atlantis.
- Complete the mission's assigned payload, , research, deployment, servicing, or logistics work.
- Return Atlantis and the landing crew safely to Earth.
Flight timeline
- November 24, 1991Night launchAtlantis began a dedicated Department of Defense mission.
- Flight day 1DSP deployedThe missile-warning satellite and IUS left the payload bay for geosynchronous transfer.
- Seven-day missionDefense and medical researchThe crew operated terrain, optical, contamination, radiation, and human-performance payloads.
- December 1, 1991LandingAtlantis landed at Edwards after extending the mission for payload work.
