STS-63 Mission Summary
Launch
February 3, 1995,
12:22:04 a.m. EST
Adjustments made to countdown sequence to better accommodate short five-
minute window required for rendezvous with Mir, including adding more
hold time at T-6 hours and T-9 minutes. Launch first scheduled for Feb.
2 postponed at L-1 when one of three inertial measurement units on orbiter
failed. Countdown Feb. 3 proceeded so smoothly there was extra time left
in T-9 minute hold. Launch marked first at 51.6-degree- inclination to
the equator to put orbiter in line with Mir, also at 51.6-degree inclination.
Landing
February 11, 1995,
6:50:19 a.m. EST
Runway 15, Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Rollout distance: 11,008 feet (3,355
meters). Rollout time: one minute, 20 seconds. Mission duration: eight
days, six hours, 28 minutes, 15 seconds. Landed revolution 129. First
end-of-mission landing since runway was resurfaced in fall 1994 to decrease
wear on orbiter tires and increase crosswind tolerances. After landing,
cosmonauts aboard Mir radioed their congratulations to Discovery crew.
Discovery became first orbiter in fleet to complete 20 missions. OV-103
transferred to Orbiter Processing Facility later same day.
Crew
List
James
D. Wetherbee, Commander
Eileen
M. Collins, Pilot
C. Michael
Foale, Ph.D., Mission Specialist
Janice
E. Voss, Ph.D., Mission Specialist
Bernard
A. Harris, Jr., M.D., Mission Specialist
Vladimir
G. Titov, Cosmonaut
