Human Spaceflights

International Flight No. 187

STS-78

Columbia (20)

USA

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Launch, orbit and landing data

Launch date:  20.06.1996
Launch time:  14:49 UTC
Launch site:  Cape Canaveral (KSC)
Launch pad:  39-B
Altitude:  278 km
Inclination:  39°
Landing date:  07.07.1996
Landing time:  12:37 UTC
Landing site:  Cape Canaveral (KSC)

walkout photo

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alternate crew photo

Crew

No.   Surname Given names Position Flight No. Duration Orbits
1  Henricks  Terence Thomas "Tom"  CDR 4 16d 21h 48m  271 
2  Kregel  Kevin Richard  PLT 2 16d 21h 48m  271 
3  Linnehan  Richard Michael  MSP 1 16d 21h 48m  271 
4  Helms  Susan Jane  MSP 3 16d 21h 48m  271 
5  Brady  Charles Eldon, Jr.  MSP 1 16d 21h 48m  271 
6  Favier  Jean-Jacques  PSP 1 16d 21h 48m  271 
7  Thirsk  Robert Brent  PSP 1 16d 21h 48m  271 

Crew seating arrangement

Launch
1  Henricks
2  Kregel
3  Linnehan
4  Helms
5  Brady
6  Favier
7  Thirsk
Landing
1  Henricks
2  Kregel
3  Brady
4  Helms
5  Linnehan
6  Favier
7  Thirsk

Backup Crew

No.   Surname Given names Position
6  Duque  Pedro Francisco  PSP
7  Urbani  Luca  PSP

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alternate crew photo

Flight

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

STS-78 carried out the mission "Life and Microgravity Spacelab". The crew entered the 40 foot (13 m) long pressurised Spacelab module to commence over 40 science experiments to take place during the mission. Not only did these experiments make use of the module’s laboratory, but also employed lockers in the middeck section of the Columbia Orbiter herself. Thirteen of the experiments were dedicated to studying the effects of microgravity on the human body, whilst another six studied the behaviour of fluids and metals in the almost weightless environment and the production of metallic alloys and protein crystals. The crew also carried out the first ever comprehensive study of sleep patterns in microgravity, research into bone & muscle loss in space, and inflight fixes to problem hardware on the Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit (BDPU), designed to study fluid physics.experiments in the areas of life science and materials science. Experiments for planned long duration missions onboard the ISS were performed. It was the longest shuttle flight to date.

Photos / Drawings

 

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Last update on March 09, 2013.