STS-46

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STS-46

Atlantis's Canadarm grapples the European Space Agency's EURECA satellite, prior to its deployment
Mission type	Satellite deployment Technology
Operator	NASA
COSPAR ID	1992-049A
SATCAT no.	22064
Mission duration	7 days, 23 hours, 15 minutes, 3 seconds[1]
Distance travelled	5,344,643 kilometres (3,321,007 mi)
Orbits completed	127
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Atlantis
Landing mass	94,676 kilograms (208,725 lb)
Payload mass	12,164 kilograms (26,817 lb)
Crew
Crew size	7
Members	Loren J. Shriver Andrew M. Allen Claude Nicollier Marsha S. Ivins Jeffrey A. Hoffman Franklin Chang-Díaz Franco Malerba
Start of mission
Launch date	31 July 1992, 13:56:48 (1992-07-31UTC13:56:48Z) UTC
Launch site	Kennedy LC-39B
End of mission
Landing date	8 August 1992, 13:11:50 (1992-08-08UTC13:11:51Z) UTC
Landing site	Kennedy SLF Runway 33
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee altitude	425 kilometres (264 mi)
Apogee altitude	437 kilometres (272 mi)
Inclination	28.45 degrees
Period	93.2 min
Left to right – Seated: Allen, Shriver; Standing: Ivins, Nicollier, Hoffman, Chang-Diaz, Malerba Space Shuttle program ← STS-50 STS-47 →

STS-46 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission using Space Shuttle Atlantis and was launched on 31 July 1992 at 9:56:48 am EDT.

Crew[]

Position	Astronaut
Commander	Loren J. Shriver Third and last spaceflight
Pilot	Andrew M. Allen First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1	Claude Nicollier, ESA First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2	Marsha S. Ivins Second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 3	Jeffrey A. Hoffman Third spaceflight
Mission Specialist 4	/ Franklin R. Chang-Diaz Third spaceflight
Payload Specialist 1	Franco Malerba, ASI Only spaceflight

Backup crew[]

Position	Astronaut
Payload Specialist 1	Umberto Guidoni, ASI First spaceflight

Crew seating arrangements[]

Seat[2]	Launch	Landing	Seats 1–4 are on the Flight Deck. Seats 5–7 are on the Middeck.
S1	Shriver	Shriver
S2	Allen	Allen
S3	Nicollier	Hoffman
S4	Ivins	Ivins
S5	Hoffman	Nicollier
S6	Chang-Diaz	Chang-Diaz
S7	Malerba	Malerba

Mission highlights[]

The mission's primary objectives were the deployment of the European Space Agency's EURECA (European Retrievable Carrier) and the joint NASA/Italian Space Agency Tethered Satellite System (TSS). EURECA was deployed a day later than scheduled because of a problem with its data handling system. Seven and a half hours after deployment, the spacecraft's thrusters were fired to boost EURECA to its planned operating altitude of around 310 miles. However, thruster firing was cut to six minutes from 24 minutes because of unexpected attitude data from the spacecraft. The problem was resolved, and EURECA was successfully boosted to its operational orbit on the mission's sixth day. TSS deployment also was delayed one day because of the problems with EURECA. During deployment, the satellite reached a maximum distance of only 860 feet from the orbiter instead of the planned 12.5 miles because of a jammed tether line. After numerous attempts over several days to free the tether, TSS operations were curtailed, and the satellite was stowed for return to Earth. It would be reflown in 1996 on STS-75.

Secondary payloads included the Evaluation of Oxygen Integration with Materials/Thermal Management Processes (EOIM-III/TEMP 2A), Consortium for Materials Development in Space Complex Autonomous Payload (CONCAP II and CONCAP III), IMAX Cargo Bay Camera (ICBC), Limited Duration Space Environment Candidate Materials Exposure (LDCE), Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS), Pituitary Growth Hormone Cell Function (PHCF), and the Ultraviolet Plume Instrument (UVPI). The mission was extended by a day in order to complete scientific objectives.

STS-46 marked the 150th human spaceflight to achieve orbit.

Gallery[]

• 

  EURECA after deployment

• 

  TSS satellite

• 

  TSS deployment

• 

  TSS deployment

See also[]

• List of human spaceflights
• List of Space Shuttle missions
• Outline of space science
• Space Shuttle

References[]

External links[]

• NASA mission summary
• STS-46 Video Highlights

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.