STS-36

Atlantis (6)

USA

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Launch, orbit and landing data

Lauch date:	28.02.1990
Launch time:	07:50 UTC
Launch site:	Cape Canaveral (KSC)
Launch pad:	39-A
Altitude:	244 km
Inclination:	62,0°
Landing date:	04.03.1990
Landing time:	18:08 UTC
Landing site:	Edwards AFB

Crew

No.	Surname	Given names	Position	Flight No.	Duration	Orbits
1	Creighton	John Oliver	CDR	2	4d 10h 18m	72
2	Casper	John Howard	PLT	1	4d 10h 18m	72
3	Mullane	Richard Michael	MSP	3	4d 10h 18m	72
4	Hilmers	David Carl	MSP	3	4d 10h 18m	72
5	Thuot	Pierre Joseph	MSP	1	4d 10h 18m	72

Crew seating arrangement

Launch
1	Creighton
2	Casper
3	Thuot
4	Hilmers
5	Mullane

Landing
1	Creighton
2	Casper
3	Mullane
4	Hilmers
5	Thuot

Flight

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

The launch was originally set for February 22, 1990, and was postponed for three times due to illness of the crew commander and weather conditions. This was the first time since Apollo 13 in 1970 that a manned space mission was affected by illness of a crew member. The launch attempt was then set for February 25, 1990 and was scrubbed due to malfunction of a range safety computer. The February 26, 1990 attempt was scrubbed due to weather conditions.

This flight was the sixth mission dedicated to the Department of Defense. Main goal was the deployment of the reconnaissance satellite AFP-731 (KH-12; USA-53).