Discovery (STS-41) launched 1990

STS-41 crew (L-R): Bruce Melnick, Robert Cabana, Thomas Akers, Richard Richards, William Shepherd

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-41), launched October 6, 1990, deployed the Ulysses probe, which was sent to study the polar regions of the sun.  Its crew consisted of Commander Richard Richards, Pilot Robert Cabana, Bruce Melnick, William Shepherd and Thomas Akers.

Ulysses was launched only six hours after Discovery took off.  The crew returned to Earth October 10.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Bruce Melnick!

Bruce Melnick, born December 5, 1949 in New York City, New York, is a veteran of two space shuttle flights.  He spent 20 years in the Coast Guard, which included being chief test pilot at the Aircraft Program Office in Grand Prairie, Texas.

His first mission was on Discovery (STS-41) in October 1990 as mission specialist.  The main objective of the mission was to deploy the Ulysses spacecraft to explore the polar regions of the sun.

His second and final mission was the maiden voyage of Endeavour (STS-49) in May 1992 as mission specialist.  Its purpose was to retrieve an Intelsat satellite and boost it into a higher orbit.

Endeavour's maiden flight (STS-49), launched 1992

STS-49 crew (L-R): Kathyrn Thornton, Bruce Melnick, Pierre Thuot, Daniel Brandenstein, Kevin Chilton, Thomas Akers, Richard Hieb

Mission patch

Endeavour blasted off on its maiden voyage (STS-49) May 7, 1992 to capture a satellite.  Its crew consisted of Commander Daniel Brandenstein, Pilot Kevin Chilton, Richard Hieb, Bruce Melnick, Pierre Thuot, Kathryn Thornton and Thomas Akers.

It was the first shuttle mission to feature 4 EVAs and the first to have three people performing EVAs at the same time.