posted 04-09-2013 03:56 PM               

My questions are as follows:

1. Were any astronauts formally assigned to crews for these mission? I seem to recall that Robert Crippen was assigned to command the first Dod mission, but cannot remember who his crewmates would have been.

2. Had the launches occurred, would the shuttle have flown north or south? I dimly recall that these were to be polar orbit missions. I am wondering where the SRBs would have landed.

3. What happened to these facilities?

posted 04-09-2013 04:21 PM               

• CDR: Robert Crippen
  
• PLT: Guy Gardner
  
• MS: Dale Gardner
  
• MS: Mike Mullane
  
• MS: Jerry Ross
  
• PS: John Waterson
  
• PS: Edward "Pete" Aldridge

posted 04-09-2013 04:22 PM               

Space shuttle Enterprise was brought to Vandenberg in 1985 to serve as a fit check vehicle for the reconfigured launch pad and support facilities.

As mentioned, the first crew assigned to launch from SLC-6 was for STS-62A, with commander Bob Crippen, pilot Guy Gardner and mission specialists Mike Mullane, Jerry Ross and Dale Gardner. Pete Aldridge and Brett Watterson were assigned as payload specialists.

The mission would have launched southward over the Pacific Ocean into polar orbit. STS-62A was scheduled to deploy the Teal Ruby experimental spacecraft and operate a package of sensors in the payload bay.

You can read more about the history of SLC-6 at Spaceflight Now.

posted 03-17-2019 01:46 PM               

• Anybody can confirmed when the Enterprise stack was mated on SLC-6? I have between 7-14 January 1985 for SRB mate, 27-28 January for ET mate and 29-30 January for orbiter mate.

• On pics and any video, it was raining when Enterprise arrived at pad on transporter. On other pics, the sky was blue when was rolled into SAB (Shuttle Assembly Building). Remain a day outdoor the SAB?

• February 4, the PCR (Payload Changeout Room) was rolled close to orbiter. Correct?

• February 15, the stack was cleared. Correct?

• February 19 was the family day to see the Enterprise at SLC-6. Was the "fog day" show on pics?

• Dated the water deluge at pad and the de-stacked operation.

• When Enterprise was on pad for mate, exterior to SAB was all white. On any pics, USAF was painted and follow the US flag on side. Dated this "art painting"?

posted 07-21-2025 11:56 PM               

When we had a chance I pulled up Vandenberg on Google Maps to show him the planed launch site. It was the first time I really looked at SLC-6 from a satellite view. The one thing I noticed that was interesting compared to LC-39 at KSC was the pads orientation.

The Shuttle stack would have had the payload bay pointed to the Pacific Ocean where at Kennedy Space Center the right side of the orbiter is to the Atlantic. The west coast launches would have had a really different roll program.

To the south it would have been a slight roll to the right. If they were going to go north it would be interesting. The roll could have went one of two ways, once the tower was cleared do a 110 plus degree roll right or roll to the left. It would have looked different rolling the direction of the tower.