STS-61-G was a NASA Space Shuttle mission planned to launch on 20 May 1986, using Atlantis. The main objective of this mission was to launch the Galileo spacecraft toward Jupiter using the Centaur-G upper stage. It was canceled after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

STS-61-G
NamesSpace Transportation System
Mission typeGalileo spacecraft deployment
OperatorNASA
Mission duration4 days, 1 hour, 11 minutes (planned)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftSpace Shuttle Atlantis (planned)
Launch mass116,831 kg (257,568 lb)
Landing mass88,881 kg (195,949 lb)
Payload mass22,064 kg (48,643 lb)
Crew
Crew size4 (planned)
MembersDavid M. Walker
Ronald J. Grabe
Norman E. Thagard
James D. A. "OX" van Hoften
Start of mission
Launch date20 May 1986, 20:21:00 UTC
(planned) - Never launched
RocketSpace Shuttle Atlantis
Launch siteKennedy Space Center, LC-39A
ContractorRockwell International
End of mission
Landing date24 May 1986, 21:32:00 UTC (planned)
Landing siteKennedy Space Center
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit (planned)
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Perigee altitude298 km (185 mi)
Apogee altitude307 km (191 mi)
Inclination34.30°
Period90.60 minutes

STS-61-G mission patch

David M. Walker, Ronald J. Grabe, Norman E. Thagard, James D. A. "OX" van Hoften
← STS-51-L (25)
STS-26 →
Cancelled Shuttle missions

Crew

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Position Astronaut
Commander David M. Walker
Would have been second spaceflight
Pilot Ronald J. Grabe
Would have been second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1 Norman E. Thagard
Would have been third spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2 James D. A. "OX" van Hoften
Would have been third spaceflight

Crew notes

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John M. Fabian was scheduled to fly as Mission Specialist 1 on his third trip to space, but he took advice from his wife who had earlier told him that "his marriage had a two-flight limit", he soon resigned from this mission.[1] His replacement was Norman E. Thagard.[2] Most of the crew sans van Hoften flew on STS-30 in May 1989, with Mary L. Cleave taking the place of van Hoften and the addition of rookie Mark C. Lee. Galileo was launched on STS-34 in October 1989, using the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) booster instead of the Centaur-G (which was canceled in 1986).

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "John M. Fabian, Interviewed by Jennifer Ross-Nazzal, Houston, Texas – 10 February 2006". NASA Johnson Space Center Oral History Project - Edited Oral History Transcript. NASA. 10 February 2006. Retrieved 29 January 2022.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ "The new shuttle crews are named". Lodi News-Sentinel. 20 September 1985. Retrieved 29 January 2022.