View source for STS-41-B

{{Short description|1984 American crewed spaceflight}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name               = STS-41-B
| names_list         = [[Space Transportation System]]-41B<br />STS-11
| image              = Bruce McCandless II during EVA in 1984.jpg
| image_caption      = [[Bruce McCandless II]] demonstrates the [[Manned Maneuvering Unit]] (MMU), floating in space above a clouded [[Earth]].
| mission_type       = [[Communications satellite]]s deployment<br />Equipment testing
| operator           = [[NASA]]
| COSPAR_ID          = <!-- Wikidata -->
| SATCAT             = <!-- Wikidata -->
| mission_duration   = {{time interval|February 3, 1984, 13:00:00|February 11, 1984, 12:15:55|show=dhms|sep=,}}
| distance_travelled = {{cvt|5329150|km}}
| orbits_completed   = 128
| spacecraft         = {{OV|099}}
| launch_mass        = {{cvt|113603|kg}}
| landing_mass       = {{cvt|91280|kg}}
| payload_mass       = {{cvt|12815|kg}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/green/cargsumm.pdf|title=NASA shuttle cargo summary|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000831011509/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/green/cargsumm.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 August 2000|publisher=NASA|access-date=15 August 2015}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
| crew_size          = 5
| crew_members       = {{Unbulleted list|[[Vance D. Brand]]|[[Robert L. Gibson]]|[[Ronald E. McNair]]|[[Robert L. Stewart]]|[[Bruce McCandless II]]}}
| crew_EVAs          = 2
| crew_EVA_duration  = {{Unbulleted list
   | 12&nbsp;hours, 12&nbsp;minutes
   | {{small|1st&nbsp;EVA: 5&nbsp;hours, 55&nbsp;minutes}}
   | {{small|2nd&nbsp;EVA: 6&nbsp;hours, 17&nbsp;minutes}}
   }}
| launch_date        = {{Start date text|February 3, 1984, 13:00:00|timezone=yes}}{{nbsp}}[[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] (8:00{{nbsp}}am{{nbsp}}[[Eastern Standard Time|EST]])
| launch_site        = [[Kennedy Space Center|Kennedy]], [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A|LC-39A]]
| launch_contractor  = [[Rockwell International]]
| landing_date       = {{End date text|February 11, 1984, 12:15:55|timezone=yes}}{{nbsp}}UTC (7:15:55{{nbsp}}am{{nbsp}}EST)
| landing_site       = Kennedy, [[Shuttle Landing Facility|SLF&nbsp;Runway&nbsp;15]]
| orbit_reference    = [[Geocentric orbit]]<ref name=satcat>{{cite web|last=McDowell|first=Jonathan|title=SATCAT|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt|publisher=Jonathan's Space Report|access-date=March 23, 2014}}</ref>
| orbit_regime       = [[Low Earth orbit]]
| orbit_periapsis    = {{cvt|307|km}}
| orbit_apoapsis     = {{cvt|317|km}}
| orbit_inclination  = 28.50°
| orbit_period       = 90.80 minutes
| apsis              = gee
| insignia           = Sts-41-b-patch.png
| insignia_caption   = STS-41-B mission patch
| crew_photo         = STS-41-B crew.jpg
| crew_photo_caption = Standing: [[Robert L. Stewart|Stewart]], [[Ronald McNair|McNair]] and [[Bruce McCandless II|McCandless]]. Stewart and McCandless are wearing [[Extravehicular Mobility Unit]]s (EMUs).<br />Seated: [[Vance D. Brand|Brand]] and [[Robert L. Gibson|Gibson]]
| programme          = [[Space Shuttle program]]
| previous_mission   = [[STS-9]]
| next_mission       = [[STS-41-C]] (11)
}}

'''STS-41-B''' was [[NASA]]'s tenth [[Space Shuttle]] mission and the fourth flight of the {{OV|099}}. It launched on February 3, 1984 and landed on February 11, 1984, after deploying two [[communications satellite]]s. It was also notable for including the first untethered [[Extravehicular activity|spacewalk]].

Following [[STS-9]], the [[List of space shuttle missions#Flight numbering|flight numbering system]] for the [[Space Shuttle program]] was changed. Because the original successor to STS-9, [[Canceled Space Shuttle missions|STS-10]], was canceled due to payload delays, the next flight, originally and internally designated '''STS-11''',<ref name="Shuttle Missions Summary">{{cite web |last1=Legler |first1=Robert D. |last2=Bennett |first2=Floyd V. |title=Space Shuttle Missions Summary |url=https://sma.nasa.gov/SignificantIncidents/assets/space-shuttle-missions-summary.pdf |publisher=Mission Operations Johnson Space Center |access-date=21 December 2023 |page=2{{hyphen}}10 |date=September 2011}}</ref><ref name="41-B Press Information">{{cite web |last1=Barton |first1=Dick |last2=Cometa |first2=Sue |last3=Gordon |first3=Bob |last4=Green |first4=Bill |last5=Howard |first5=Bob |last6=Schilder |first6=Shirley |title=41-B Press Information |url=https://historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCHistoryPortal/history/shuttle_pk/mrk/FLIGHT_010_STS-41B_MRK.pdf |publisher=Rockwell International Office of Public Relations |access-date=21 December 2023 |page=1 |date=January 1984}}</ref> became STS-41-B as part of the new numbering system.

== Crew ==
{{Spaceflight crew
| terminology = Astronaut
| position1   = Commander
| crew1_up    = [[Vance D. Brand]]
| flights1_up = Third
| position2   = Pilot
| crew2_up    = [[Robert L. Gibson]]
| flights2_up = First
| position3   = Mission Specialist 1
| crew3_up    = [[Bruce McCandless II]]
| flights3_up = First
| position4   = Mission Specialist 2<br>Flight Engineer
| crew4_up    = [[Robert L. Stewart]]
| flights4_up = First
| position5   = Mission Specialist 3
| crew5_up    = [[Ronald McNair|Ronald E. McNair]]
| flights5_up = Only
}}

=== Spacewalks ===
;EVA 1
* '''Personnel''': McCandless and Stewart
* '''Date''': February 7, 1984
* '''Duration''': 5 hours, 55 minutes<ref name=NYT />

;EVA 2
* '''Personnel''': McCandless and Stewart
* '''Date''': February 9, 1984
* '''Duration''': 6 hours, 17 minutes<ref name=NYT />

=== Crew seat assignments ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Seat<ref>{{cite web|title=STS-41B|url=http://spacefacts.de/mission/english/sts-41b.htm|publisher=Spacefacts|access-date=February 26, 2014}}</ref>
! Launch
! Landing
|rowspan=8| [[File:Space Shuttle seating plan.svg|150px]]<br />Seats 1–4 are on the flight deck.<br />Seats 5–7 are on the mid-deck.
|-
! 1
|colspan=2| Brand
|-
! 2
|colspan=2| Gibson
|-
! 3
| McNair
| McCandless
|-
! 4
|colspan=2| Stewart
|-
! 5
| McCandless
| McNair
|-
! 6
|colspan=2 style="background-color:lightgray"| ''Unused''
|-
! 7
|colspan=2 style="background-color:lightgray"| ''Unused''
|}

== Mission summary ==
{{stack begin|clear=true}}
[[File:STS-41-B Launch (20071535339).jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|STS-41B launch]]
[[File:STS-41-B Palapa B-2 deployment.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|Palapa B2 after deployment]]
[[File:STS-41-B EVA.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|Astronaut Bruce McCandless exercises the [[Manned Maneuvering Unit]].]]
[[File:EVAtion - GPN-2000-001087.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|McCandless approaches his maximum distance from ''Challenger''.]]
{{stack end}}

=== Crew ===
The STS-41-B crew included commander [[Vance D. Brand]], making his second Shuttle flight; pilot [[Robert L. Gibson]]; and mission specialists [[Bruce McCandless II]], [[Ronald E. McNair]], and [[Robert L. Stewart]].

=== Launch and satellite deployment ===
''Challenger'' lifted off from [[Kennedy Space Center]] at 08:00:00 a.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] on February 3, 1984. It was estimated that 100,000 people attended the launch.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27543551/florida_today/|title=Backed Up Cars; Broken Down Bus; a Beautiful Launch|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|page=3A|date=4 February 1984 |via=Newspapers.com|last1=Stanley|first1=Rick}}</ref> Two communications satellites were deployed about 8 hours after launch; one, [[Westar]] 6, was for America's [[Western Union]], and the other, [[Palapa]] B2, for [[Indonesia]];<ref name="AmericaSpace">{{cite web|url=http://www.americaspace.com/?p=27134|title="It'll Be A Miracle": The Rescue of Palapa and Westar (Part 1)|publisher=AmericaSpace |date=12 November 2012|access-date= 28 July 2013}}</ref>  both were Hughes-built HS-376-series satellites. However, the [[Payload Assist Module]]s (PAM) for both satellites malfunctioned, placing them into a lower-than-planned orbit. Both satellites were retrieved successfully in November 1984 during [[STS-51-A]], which was conducted by the orbiter [[Space Shuttle Discovery|''Discovery'']].<ref name="AmericaSpace" />

=== Untethered EVA ===
On February 7, the fourth day of the mission, astronauts McCandless and Stewart performed the first untethered spacewalk, operating the [[Manned Maneuvering Unit]] (MMU) for the first time.<ref name=NYT>{{cite web |url=http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/07/feb-7-1984-nasa-astronauts-perform-first-untethered-spacewalk/|title=Feb. 7, 1984: NASA Astronauts Perform First Untethered Spacewalk|newspaper=The New York Times|date= 7 February 2012|access-date=20 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://history.nasa.gov/SP-4219/Chapter13.html|title="More Favored than the Birds": The Manned Maneuvering Unit in Space |publisher=NASA|year=1998|access-date=20 July 2013}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> At 8:25 a.m. EST, pulsing the MMU's thrusters, McCandless ventured out of ''Challenger''{{'}}s payload bay, and reached {{cvt|98|m}} from the orbiter.<ref name="MMU to 98 m">{{cite news |last1=Noble |first1=John Wilfred |title=2 ASTRONAUTS FLOAT FREE IN SPACE, 170 MILES UP |url=https://nyti.ms/42D6j1p |access-date=7 February 2024 |work=New York Times |date=8 February 1984 |pages=A1, B10}}</ref> Stewart tested the "work station" foot restraint at the end of the Remote Manipulator System ([[Canadarm]]).<ref name="MMU to 98 m" /> On the seventh day of the mission, both astronauts performed another extravehicular activity (EVA) to practice capture procedures for the [[Solar Maximum Mission]] (SMM) satellite retrieval and repair operation, which was planned for the next mission, [[STS-41-C]].<ref name=NYT />

=== Scientific experiments ===
STS-41-B also achieved the reflight of the [[West Germany|West German]]-sponsored SPAS-1 pallet/satellite, which had originally flown on [[STS-7]].<ref name=Ency>{{cite web |url=http://www.astronautix.com/flights/sts41b.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020415042717/http://www.astronautix.com/flights/sts41b.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 April 2002|title=STS-41-B|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica|access-date= 20 July 2013}}</ref> This time, however, it remained in the payload bay due to an electrical problem in the RMS (Canadarm). The mission also carried five [[Get Away Special]] (GAS) canisters, six live [[rat]]s in the middeck area, a Cinema-360 camera and a continuation of the Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System and Monodisperse Latex Reactor experiments.<ref name=Ency /> Included in one of the GAS canisters was the first experiment designed and built by a high school team to fly in space. The experiment, on seed germination and growth in [[Weightlessness|zero gravity]], was created and built by a team of four students from [[Brighton High School (Cottonwood Heights, Utah)|Brighton High School]] in [[Utah]] through a partnership with [[Utah State University]].<ref name=Ency />
[[File:Brighton High School STS-11 Payload Decal.jpg|thumb|alt=Brighton High School STS-11 Decal|Brighton High School STS-11 Decal]]

=== Issues with the orbiter ===
During the mission, the nozzles of ''Challenger''{{'}}s supply and wastewater venting systems experienced below-freezing temperatures; subsequently, the supply water dump valve failed to open, so excess water was dumped through the flash evaporator for the remainder of the mission.<ref>{{Cite conference |title=Shuttle Orbiter Environmental Control and Life Support System – Flight Experience |conference=International Conference On Environmental Systems, July 13-16 1992, Seattle, Washington |url=https://saemobilus.sae.org/content/921348 |last=Winkler |first=H. Eugene |date=1 July 1992 |via=SAE Mobilus |publisher=SAE International |doi=10.4271/921348 |page=7 |format=PDF |issn=0148-7191 |quote="On flight STS-41 B in January 1984, during a simultaneous supply and wastewater dump, the temperature of both dump nozzles became very cold, well below freezing. Later in the mission, the supply water dump valve failed to open and excess water had to be dumped through the flash evaporator. After the flight, the dump line near the dump nozzle was found to be ruptured, apparently by ice formation."|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="STS-41B Mission Report" />{{rp|6}} During re-entry, ice from the dump valves broke off their nozzles situated near the nose of the orbiter and struck the left [[Orbital Maneuvering System]] (OMS) pod, damaging three [[Space Shuttle thermal protection system|Thermal Protection System (TPS)]] tiles and leading to a burn-through,<ref name="STS-41B Mission Report">{{cite web |last1=Collins, Jr. |first1=Michael A. |last2=Aldrich |first2=A. D. |last3=Lunney |first3=G.S. |title=STS-41B National Space Transportation Systems Mission Program Report |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19850015588/downloads/19850015588.pdf |website=NASA Technical Reports Server |publisher=National Aeronautics and Space Administration – Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center |access-date=21 December 2023 |pages=4,6,17,19 |date=March 1984}}</ref>{{rp|4}} but the damage was minimal enough that ''Challenger'' and its crew were unharmed.<ref name="Shuttle Missions Summary" /><ref name="STS-41B Mission Report" />{{rp|19}} During the post-flight inspection it was found that the dump line upstream of the two nozzles had ruptured due to the wastewater expanding as it froze, and insulation was missing around both nozzles.<ref name="STS-41B Mission Report" />{{rp|6,17}} The TPS tiles near the nozzles were also discolored, indicating ice had built up prior to re-entry.<ref name="STS-41B Mission Report" />{{rp|19}}

=== Return to Earth ===
The 7 days, 23 hours, 15 minutes, and 55 seconds flight ended on February 11, 1984 with a successful landing at Kennedy Space Center's [[Shuttle Landing Facility]]. This marked the first landing of a spacecraft at its launch site. ''Challenger'' completed 128 orbits and traveled {{cvt|5329150|km}}.

== Mission insignia ==
Designed by artist [[Robert McCall (artist)|Robert McCall]], the eleven stars in the blue field symbolize the mission's original designation as STS-11. The left panel shows the deployment of a satellite, and the right panel shows an astronaut using the MMU.

== Wake-up calls ==
NASA began a tradition of playing music to astronauts during the [[Project Gemini]], and first used music to wake up a flight crew during [[Apollo 15]]. Each track is specially chosen, often by the astronauts' families, and usually has a special meaning to an individual member of the crew, or is applicable to their daily activities.<ref name="chronology">{{cite news|first=Colin|last=Fries|title=Chronology of Wakeup Calls|date=June 25, 2007|publisher=NASA|url=https://history.nasa.gov/wakeup%20calls.pdf|access-date=August 13, 2007|archive-date=20 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220093919/https://history.nasa.gov/wakeup%20calls.pdf|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Flight day
! Song
! Artist/composer
! Played for
|-
| Day 2
| ''Garbled during the broadcast, title unknown''
| Contraband{{efn|"Contraband" was the name of a music group of NASA employees, among them Ron McNair on the tenor sax.<ref name="chronology" />}}
| Ronald E. McNair
|-
| Day 3
| "[[Take the "A" Train|A Train]]"
| Contraband
|
|-
| Day 4
| "Glory, Glory, Colorado"<br />"Ride High You Mustangs"
| [[University of Colorado at Boulder|The University of Colorado Band]]<br />[[Cal Poly San Luis Obispo]] / H.P. Davidson<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Mustang Band |title=Band Handbook – School Songs |url=http://mband.calpoly.edu/handbook/resources/schoolsongs.html |website=Mustang Band – The Pride of the Pacific |publisher=Cal Poly University Bands |access-date=21 December 2023}}</ref>
| Vance D. Brand<br />Robert L. Gibson
|-
| Day 5
| "[[Armed Forces Medley]]"
|
| Vance D. Brand<br />Bruce McCandless<br />Robert L. Gibson<br />Robert L. Stewart
|-
| Day 6
| "[[North Carolina A&T University]] alma mater"<br />"[[Southern Mississippi to the Top]]"
| [[North Carolina A&T University]]<br />[[University of Southern Mississippi]]
| Ronald E. McNair<br />Robert L. Stewart
|-
| Day 7
| "Theme from [[The Greatest American Hero]]"
| [[Joey Scarbury]]
| A planned EVA
|-
| Day 8
| "[[The Air Force Song]]"
| U.S. Air Force [[Flight controller#Spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM)|CAPCOMs]]
|
|-
| Day 9
| "[[In the Mood]]"
| Contraband
|
|}

== After the mission ==
Astronaut Bruce McCandless II sued singer [[Dido (singer)|Dido]] in 2010 over the use of a public domain photo of him in space on this mission on her 2008 album ''[[Safe Trip Home]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://petapixel.com/2010/10/08/nasa-astronaut-sues-dido-over-album-cover-photograph/|title=NASA Astronaut Sues Dido Over Album Cover Photograph|author=Michael Zhang|date=October 8, 2010}}</ref>

Two years after this mission, Ronald E. McNair was a crew member of the ill-fated [[STS-51-L]]. He and his six colleagues were killed when ''Challenger'' [[Space Shuttle Challenger disaster|disintegrated]] {{cvt|14|km}} above the [[Atlantic Ocean]] 73 seconds after liftoff.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/mcnair.html|title=Astronaut Bio: Ronald McNair 12/03|website=jsc.nasa.gov|access-date=7 February 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321072013/http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/mcnair.html|archive-date=21 March 2009}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
* [[List of human spaceflights]]
* [[List of Space Shuttle missions]]
* [[Lists of spacewalks and moonwalks]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/41-b/mission-41-b.html Mission summary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504115448/http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/41-b/mission-41-b.html |date=4 May 2012 }} and [http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/41-b/41-b-info.html additional information] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716183226/http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/41-b/41-b-info.html |date=16 July 2012 }} NASA
* [https://plus.nasa.gov/video/sts-41b-mission-highlights/ STS-41-B Post-flight video summary with crew narration]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvnC--JjDBw NASA Video – Astronaut Bruce McCandless II Floats Free in Space]
* {{NARA catalog record|20933243|STS-41-B In-flight Photographs}}

{{Space Shuttle Challenger}}
{{All U.S. Space Shuttle Missions}}
{{Orbital launches in 1984}}

[[Category:Space Shuttle missions]]
[[Category:1984 in spaceflight]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 1984]]
[[Category:1984 in the United States]]
[[Category:1984 in science]]
[[Category:Spacecraft which reentered in 1984]]