Launch from Cape Canaveral (KSC); landing on Edwards AFB. The launch of Challenger was delayed 2 minutes 18 seconds due to a launch processing failure.

The mission was the second flight of Spacelab, but the first in a fully operational configuration. Spacelab capabilities for multi disciplinary research in microgravity were successfully demonstrated.

All in all 15 experiments on five basic discipline areas were performed: materials sciences, life sciences, fluid mechanics, atmospheric physics and astronomy were carried out. Two monkeys and 24 rodents were observed for effects of weightlessness. Two Getaway Special experiments required that they be deployed from their canisters, a "first" in this program. These were NUSAT (Northern Utah Satellite) and GLOMR (Global Low Orbiting Message Relay Satellite). NUSAT deployed successfully, but GLOMR did not deploy and was returned to Earth.

Payload Specialists Taylor Wang and Lodewijk van den Berg tested, if Biofeedback could help against the space adaption syndrome.