Crewed spacecraftExpended
STS-51-C flight stack
Mission-specific Space Shuttle flight stack
Vehicle and mission dossier
STS-51-C
STS-51-C was the first Space Shuttle mission dedicated entirely to a Department of Defense payload. Discovery carried a classified spacecraft and Inertial Upper into orbit with a five-person military and NASA crew; most payload details and orbital operations remained classified.
Flight profile
- Launch
- January 24, 1985
- Landing
- January 27, 1985
- Mission duration
- 3d 01h 33m
Places and recovery
Vehicle record
- Orbiter
- Space Shuttle Discovery
- Mission or test
- STS-51-C
- 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
- 5
- Program
- Space Shuttle
- Crew complement
- 5
- Outcome
- Completed
- Archive classification
- Human spaceflight
- Primary objective
- First dedicated Department of Defense Space Shuttle mission.
Flight objectives
- Launch Discovery and its crew safely into .
- First dedicated Department of Defense Space Shuttle mission.
- Complete the mission's assigned payload, , research, deployment, servicing, or logistics work.
- Return Discovery and the landing crew safely to Earth.
Flight timeline
- January 24, 1985LaunchDiscovery began the first dedicated Department of Defense Shuttle mission.
- On orbitClassified deploymentThe crew deployed the defense payload and its Inertial Upper .
- Mission operationsClassified workOperational details were withheld while the crew completed assigned objectives.
- January 27, 1985LandingDiscovery returned to Kennedy Space Center after three days.
