Human Spaceflights

International Flight-No. 123

STS-28

Columbia (8)

USA

 STS-28 patch Patch DoD

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hi res version (310 KB)

Launch, orbit and landing data

Launch date:  08.08.1989
Launch time:  12:37 UT
Launch site:  Cape Canaveral (KSC)
Launch pad:  39-B
Altitude:  289 - 306 km
Inclination:  57,0°
Landing date:  13.08.1989
Landing time:  13:37 UT
Landing site:  Edwards AFB

walkout photo

 Crew STS-28

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alternate crew photo

Crew

No.   Surname Given names Job Flight No. Duration Orbits
1 USA  Shaw  Brewster Hopkinson, Jr.  CDR 3 5d 01h 00m  81 
2 USA  Richards  Richard Noel "Dick"  PLT 1 5d 01h 00m  81 
3 USA  Adamson  James Craig  MSP 1 5d 01h 00m  81 
4 USA  Leestma  David Cornell  MSP 2 5d 01h 00m  81 
5 USA  Brown  Mark Neil  MSP 1 5d 01h 00m  81 

Crew seating arrangement

Launch
1  Shaw
2  Richards
3  Adamson
4  Leestma
5  Brown
Space Shuttle cockpit
Landing
1  Shaw
2  Richards
3  Brown
4  Leestma
5  Adamson

Flight

Launch from Cape Canaveral (KSC); landing on Edwards AFB.

Fourth mission dedicated to Department of Defense. Deploying military satellites KH-12 and Ferret. Observation and photo-experiments for visibility of small structures on Earth surface. During the flight, the crew shut down a thruster in the reaction control system (RCS) because of indications of a leak. Also, an RCS heater malfunctioned.

Post-flight analysis of STS-28 discovered unusual heating of the thermal protection system (TPS) during re-entry, caused by an early transition to turbulent plasma flow around the vehicle. A detailed report identified protruding gap filler as the likely cause.

Photos / Drawings

Space Shuttle SDS-2
STS-28 rollout STS-28 launch
traditional in-flight photo STS-28 Dead Sea
STS-28 landing  
©      

Last update on January 06, 2010.

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