Paul J. Weitz Karol J. Bobko Donald H. Peterson F. Story Musgrave
Launch:
April 4, 1983
Landing:
April 9, 1983
Duration:
5 days, 2 hours
Comment:
Maiden flight of Space Shuttle Challenger
These polystyrene spheres were the the first true product made in space. They were created on-board STS-6 as the result of an experiment developed by Lehigh University to produce a Standard Reference Material used in calibrating particle size measuring instruments (for example, optical and electron microscopes). The spheres are so small - 10 micrometers in diameter - that 18000 could fit on the head of a pin. The beads were first offered to the public in 1985.
