Front row (L-R): Richard Mullane, Steven Hawley, Henry Harsfield, Michael Coats
Back row (L-R): Charles Walker, Judith Resnik
Mission patch
Space Shuttle Discovery's maiden voyage (STS-41-D) was launched August 30, 1984. Its crew consisted of Commander Henry Harsfield, Pilot Michael Coats, Richard Mullane, Steven Hawley, Judith Resnik, and Charles Walker.
Resnik was the second US woman in space after Sally Ride.
Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-4), launched June 27, 1982, was the final test flight for the shuttle program. After a successful week-long mission, the shuttle was deemed to be operational. Its crew consisted of Commander Ken Mattingly and Pilot Henry Hartsfield.
After launch, the solid rocket boosters were lost when their main parachutes failed.
Ken Mattingly, born March 17, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois, is one of twenty-four people to fly to the moon. Mattingly was Command Module Pilot for the Apollo 16 mission in April 1972. During the return portion of the mission, he performed an EVA to retrieve film and data packages from the science bay on the side of the service module.
He had been assigned to be Command Module Pilot for Apollo 13 but was scrubbed only 72 hours before, due to being exposed to the measles. Gary Sinise played Mattingly in the movie Apollo 13.
During the space shuttle program, Mattingly commanded Columbia (STS-4) with Henry Harsfield June-July 1982, the final test flight for the shuttle.
He commanded Discovery (STS-51-C) in January 1985, the first space shuttle mission dedicated to the Department of Defense.
Henry "Hank" Hartsfield, born November 21, 1933 in Birmingham, Alabama, was a veteran of 3 Space Shuttle flights, including one of the first, STS-4 aboard Columbia. In June 1982, he and Ken Mattingly made the final test run of the Space Shuttle program, which was the last time only two astronauts were aboard a shuttle.
His second flight was on Discovery (STS-41-D) in August-September 1984 as commander. Its initial launch date was June 26 but at T-6 seconds before blast off, the launch was aborted. Its mission was delayed over two months.
His third and final flight was aboard Challenger (STS-61-A) in October-November 1985. It was the last successful flight of the Challenger. He was commander of the only space shuttle mission to carry 8 astronauts for the entire mission.
Hartsfield passed away in July 2014 from complications due to back surgery.
Back row (L-R): Steven Nagel, Guy Bluford, Ernst Messerschmid, Wubbo Ockels
Front row (L-R): Reinhard Furrer, Bonnie Dunbar, James Buchli, Henry Hartsfield
Space Shuttle Challenger blasted off October 30, 1985, on what would be its final flight. It still holds the distinction for having the largest crew (8) on board from launch to landing. The mission was funded, directed and controlled by West Germany, so the mission is also known as D-1.
Her record-setting crew was: Commander Henry W. Hartsfield, Jr.; Pilot Steven R. Nagel; Mission Specialist 1 Bonnie J. Dunbar; Mission Specialist 2 James F. Buchli; Mission Specialist 3 Guion S. Buford; Payload Specialist 1 Reinhard Furrer; Payload Specialist 2 Ernst Messerschmid; and Payload Specialist Wubbo Ockels (the Netherlands).
Wubbo Ockels, born in Amsterdam, was the first Dutch citizen to go to space. This was the only mission in space for him and the two German scientists.
Guy Bluford is the first African-American astronaut to space twice. He would go into space 2 more times.
Challenger would be destroyed with her entire crew in January 1986.
