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Author
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Topic: Most underrated space shuttle missions
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ASCAN1984
Member Posts: 1049
From: County Down, Nothern Ireland
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 07-10-2010 04:44 AM
   
What flights from the space shuttle program do you think are the most underrated, i.e. that don't get the recognition they deserve?
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Henry Heatherbank
Member Posts: 244
From: Adelaide, South Australia
Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 07-10-2010 04:44 AM
DoD Shuttle flights, simply because of the media blackout. Especially the "mystery EVA" on STS-27. |
Tom
Member Posts: 1597
From: New York
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 07-10-2010 10:54 AM
quote:
Originally posted by ASCAN1984:
...don't get the recognition they deserve?
Media-wise, I'd have to say all of them!
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KSCartist
Member Posts: 2896
From: Titusville, FL USA
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 07-10-2010 01:50 PM
I would suggest that the flights in the early 1990's that tested tools, procedures and hardware for building the ISS like STS-51.If the mission wasn't to service Hubble or dock with MIR, it was overlooked. |
dogcrew5369
Member Posts: 750
From: Statesville, NC
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 07-11-2010 10:08 AM
...or to fly John Glenn. |
divemaster
Member Posts: 1376
From: ridgefield, ct
Registered: May 2002
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posted 07-11-2010 12:42 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Tom:
Media-wise, I'd have to say all of them!
I'd have to agree 100% with the exception of STS-1 and STS-95 [before the fact]. |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 07-12-2010 10:43 AM
The Spacelab based flights from the 1990s also were low on the public radar. There were several material sciences and bio-medical based flights that flew. At least the flights that tested new tools and procedures during EVAs generated some nice images for the evening news. |
kr4mula
Member Posts: 642
From: Cinci, OH
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 07-12-2010 10:48 AM
STS-2. I was in an interview with one of the flight controllers/directors (I can't remember who off hand) and he mentioned that STS-2 was the greater achievement than STS-1. Why? Because no one had ever flown the same ship to orbit and back safely. That mission is what proved reusability was real. He remembered Chris Kraft making some comment to that effect in the control center after the landing. As for the DoD flights, Stafford made the comment that once people find out what they did on those missions, they will be "real proud" of what we accomplished. |
MrSpace86
Member Posts: 1618
From: Gardner, KS, USA
Registered: Feb 2003
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posted 07-12-2010 12:30 PM
I was either not alive or too small to know what was going on, but how did the media showcase these DoD missions? Now, we all know everything about a mission: payload, crew, coordinates, etc. How were they handled back then? Did we know about an upcoming launch? Were people lied to about what the mission was about? Are there any rumors as to what these missions could have done? |
NavySpaceFan
Member Posts: 655
From: Norfolk, VA
Registered: May 2007
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posted 07-12-2010 12:41 PM
If I recall correctly, the launch date and times were kept secret until 24 hours ahead of launch and launch coverage did not begin until the end of the T-9 hold. Also, orbital inclination was classified as well. As far as what went up, this is a great article on what they may or may not have carried. Rumor has it that Discovery (STS-51C and STS-33) carried electronic intelligence satellites code named ORION (also known as Magnum). |
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