STS-54

STS -54 (English Space Transportation System) is a mission name for the U.S. Space Shuttle Endeavour NASA. The launch took place on 13 January 1993. It was the 53rd Space Shuttle mission and the third flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour.

Team

• John Casper ( second space flight), Commander
• Donald McMonagle ( second space flight), Pilot
• Mario Runco ( second space flight), Mission Specialist
• Gregory Harbaugh ( second space flight), Mission Specialist
• Susan Helms ( first space flight ), Mission Specialist

Mission overview

Brunt was the fifth data relay satellite in the TDRS - series ( Tracking and Data Relay Satellite ) which was exposed to 6 hours and 13 minutes after the start. Later he brought a IUS upper stage (Inertial Upper Stage) to its final orbit.

Further experiments on board were:

• The diffuse X -ray Spectrometer ( DXS ), recorded with the data on the X-ray diffuse sources in space;
• The Commercial General Bioprocessing Apparatus ( CGPA )
• The Chromosome and Plant Cell Division in Space Experiment ( CHROMEX ) for the study of plant growth;
• The Physiological and Anatomical Rodent Experiment ( PARE ) to study the skeleton and its adaptation to weightlessness;
• The Space Acceleration Measurement Equipment (SANS ) to measure the gravitational forces in the near-Earth space;
• The Solid Surface Combustion experiment ( SSCE ) for measuring the propagation rate, and temperature of burning the filter paper.

On the fifth day of the mission Mario Runco and Greg Harbaugh led by a nearly five-hour exit in the open payload bay to gain more experience about working in space. They tested their movement possibilities, rose without help of hands in toe clips and simulated carrying large items.