#sts-61e

[lonestarflight]

"In 1986, NASA introduced a Shuttle-borne ultraviolet observatory called Astro. The Astro Observatory was designed to explore the universe by observing and measuring the ultraviolet radiation from celestial objects. Astronomical targets of observation selected for Astro missions included planets, stars, star clusters, galaxies, clusters of galaxies, quasars, remnants of exploded stars (supernovae), clouds of gas and dust (nebulae), and the interstellar medium. Astro-1 used a Spacelab pallet system with an instrument pointing system and a cruciform structure for bearing the three ultraviolet instruments mounted in a parallel configuration. The three instruments were: The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), which was designed to obtain far-ultraviolet spectroscopic data from white dwarfs, emission nebulae, active galaxies, and quasars; the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) which was to study polarized ultraviolet light from magnetic white dwarfs, binary stars, reflection nebulae, and active galaxies; and the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) which was to record photographic images in ultraviolet light of galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae. The star trackers that supported the instrument pointing system were also mounted on the cruciform. Also in the payload bay was the Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT), which was designed to obtain high-resolution x-ray spectra from stellar corona, x-ray binary stars, active galactic nuclei, and galaxy clusters. Managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center, the Astro-1 observatory was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia (STS-35) on December 2, 1990."

Date: 1989

NASA ID: S89-11183

[lonestarflight]

Cancelled missions: STS-61-E

This mission planned to launch on Space Shuttle Columbia and was scheduled for March 6, 1986. It was notable because it would have observed Halley's Comet during it's flyby of Earth. It was canceled after the Challenger disaster.

"Columbia was to carry the ASTRO-1 observatory, which would be used to make astronomical observations including observations of Halley's Comet. ASTRO-1 consisted of three ultraviolet telescopes mounted on two Spacelab pallets, controlled by the Instrument Pointing System (IPS) which was first tested on STS-51-F.

Photographed on March 8, 1986 from Easter Island, as part of the International Halley Watch (IHW) Large Scale Phenomena Network, this view occurred at precisely the time the STS-61E should have been directing their ultraviolet telescopes toward the fabled celestial visitor.

After the Challenger disaster, the flight was remanifested as STS-35 and several crew members were replaced. Both Richards and Leestma were reassigned to STS-28 while McBride left NASA in 1989. Vance D. Brand replaced McBride as the commander while Guy S. Gardner and John M. Lounge replaced Richards and Leestma, respectively."

source, source

[lonestarflight]

I was lucky enough to see Halley's Comet in 1986 by naked eye, would you believe looking through a toilet roll which blocked out street lights and moon in the small rural town of Robertstown in South Australia's north east pastoral district and it was a great sight. I have also been lucky enough to see during the day (getting close to dusk I believe) a shuttle's illuminated flight path travelling from south to north and I was looking to west of Adelaide and not sure what year that was. It could have been first shuttle flight back after Challenger but I can't remember what year. Anyway I would be able to work out which shuttle I saw just by the tracking information or is that a bit hard to be specific?

That's really cool! I was just a baby when the comet came by. I hope to live long enough to see it return.

But to answer your question, there wasn't a shuttle flying at the time. There was one planned (STS-61-E) but due to the Challenger Disaster, the shuttles was grounded.

"Back row: Samuel T. Durrance, Robert A. Parker, Jeffrey A. Hoffman, Ronald A. Parise

Front row: Richard N. Richards, Jon A. McBride, David C. Leestma"

"Columbia was to carry the ASTRO-1 observatory, which would be used to make astronomical observations including observations of Halley's Comet. ASTRO-1 consisted of three ultraviolet telescopes mounted on two Spacelab pallets, controlled by the Instrument Pointing System (IPS) which was first tested on STS-51-F.

After the Challenger disaster, the flight was remanifested as STS-35 and several crew members were replaced. Both Richards and Leestma were reassigned to STS-28 while McBride left NASA in 1989. Vance D. Brand replaced McBride as the commander while Guy S. Gardner and John M. Lounge replaced Richards and Leestma, respectively."

It was planned to launch on March 6, 1986.

source

NASA ID: link, S86-25345