#sts-10

[lonestarflight]

"An unusual almost-straight-on view of the Space Shuttle Discovery as its main landing gear touches down on the Shuttle landing facility runway at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Aboard the spacecraft for the STS-51C mission were astronauts Thomas K. (Ken) Mattingly II, Loren J. Shriver, James F. Buchli and Ellison S. Onizuka of NASA; and payload specialist Gary E. Payton of the USAF."

Date: January 27, 1985

NASA ID: S85-26933

[lonestarflight]

"Photograph of orbital sunrise from Space Shuttle Discovery during the third day of the STS-51-C mission. Discovery and her crew were around 333 kilometers above Earth's surface when this photograph was taken, during the mission's 22nd orbit."

Date: January 26, 1985

NASA ID: STS51C-35-105

[lonestarflight]

Space Shuttle Mission: STS-51-C (formerly STS-10)

"The crew assigned to the STS-51C mission included (kneeling in front left to right) Loren J. Schriver, pilot; and Thomas K. Mattingly II, commander [originally the Command Module Pilot on the Apollo 13 mission before being bumped off due to exposure to German measles]. Standing, left to right, are Gary E. Payton, payload specialist; and mission specialists James F. Buchli, and Ellison L. Onizuka."

After a delay due freezing temperatures, Space Shuttle Discovery was launched on January 24, 1985 at 2:50:00 pm (EST).

This mission was originally planned for Challenger. However, problems with Challenger’s thermal tiles forced a switch to Discovery.

The STS-51-C was the first mission dedicated to the Department of Defense (DOD). Elements of the mission were kept secret. However, it was reported that a U.S. Air Force Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) booster successfully deployed a secret payload.

Mission duration: 3 days, 1 hour, 33 minutes, and 23 seconds from January 24-27, 1985.

NASA ID: 8552137, MSFC-8552138

source

[lonestarflight]

Launch of STS-51-C Discovery

Date: January 24, 1985

Space Shuttle Discovery, mission STS-51-C, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on the first dedicated Department of Defense mission. Discovery landed at Kennedy on Jan. 27 following a successful three-day mission.

source

NASA ID: S85-26185, KSC-85PC-0056