Front row (L-R): Richard Richards, Brewster Shaw, David Leestma
Back row (L-R): Mark Brown, James Adamson
Mission patch
Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-28), launched August 8, 1989, was the fourth mission dedicated to the Department of Defense. Its crew consisted of Commander Brewster Shaw, Pilot Richard Richards, James Adamson, David Leestma and Mark Brown.
The crew deployed two reconnaissance satellites during the mission. They returned to Earth August 13.
Brewster Shaw, born May 16, 1945 in Cass City, Michigan, is a veteran of three space shuttle missions.
His first flight was aboard Columbia (STS-9) as pilot in November-December 1983. It was the first flight of the Spacelab laboratory module.
His second flight was aboard Atlantis (STS-61-B) as commander November-December 1985. The mission deployed three communications satellites.
His third and final mission was aboard Columbia (STS-28) as commander in August 1989. The mission carried a payload for the Dept of Defense in to orbit.
Shaw was inducted into the US Astronaut Hall of Fame in May 2006.
L-R: Owen Garriott, Byron Lichtenberg, Brewster Shaw, John Young, Ulf Merbold, Robert Parker
Mission patch
The sixth mission of Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-9), launched November 28, 1983, carried the first Spacelab module into orbit. She carried six astronauts for the first time. Her crew consisted of Commander John Young, Pilot Brewster Shaw, Missional Specialist Owen Garriott (Okie!), Mission Specialist Robert Parker, Payload Specialist Ulf Merbold, and Payload Specialist Byron Lichtenberg. Merbold was the first non-U.S. citizen, the first West German citizen (remember this was before the Berlin Wall came down), and the first ESA astronaut in space.
Garriott made the first ham radio transmissions from space during the flight. The crew carried out numerous experiments on the effects of low gravity on the human body. See the highlight video below.
Columbia landed December 8, ten days after launch. The crew was looking forward to taking showers since they had not been able to for over a week. What did Columbia smell like on the inside after they landed?
Back row L-R: Charles Walker, Jerry Ross, Mary Cleave, Sherwood Spring, Rodolfo Neri Vela
Front row L-R: Bryan O'Connor, Brewster Shaw
Mission patch
Space Shuttle Atlantis blasted off November 26, 1985 from Kennedy Space Center for the 23rd mission of the shuttle program. The takeoff came just 54 days after the launch of STS-51-J, the quickest turnaround between launches. Her crew consisted of Commander Brewster Shaw, Pilot Bryan O'Connor, Mission Specialist 1 Jerry Ross, Mission Specialist 2 Mary Cleave, Mission Specialist 3 Sherwood Spring, Payload Specialist Charles Walker and Payload Specialist 2 Rodolfo Neri Vela.
Vela is the first Mexican astronaut in space. Jerry Ross and Sherwood Spring performed two EVAs to demonstrate the feasibility of assembling large structures in space.
Atlantis returned to Earth December 3 at Edwards Air Force Base.
