Discovery (STS-82) launched 1997

STS-82 crew

Front row (L-R): Kenneth Bowersox, Steven Hawley, Scott Horowitz

Back row (L-R): Joseph Tanner, Gregory Harbaugh, Mark Lee, Steven Smith

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-82), launched February 11, 1997, was the second misson to service the Hubble Space Telescope.  Its crew consisted of Commander Kenneth Bowersox, Pilot Scott Horowitz, Joseph Tanner, Steven Hawley, Gregory Harbaugh, Mark Lee and Steven Smith.

Lee and Smith conducted 3 EVAs and Harbaugh and Tanner conducted two EVAs.  The crew returned to Earth February 21.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Steven Smith!

Steven Smith, born December 30, 1958 in Phoenix, Arizona, is a veteran of four space shuttle flights and seven space walks.

His first mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-68) as mission specialist in September-October 1994.  He spent just over 11 days in space.

His second mission was aboard Discovery (STS-82) in February 1997 as mission specialist.  It was the second servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.  Smith conducted three EVAs with fellow astronaut Mark Lee.

His third mission was on Discovery (STS-103) as mission specialist in December 1999 to service the Hubble Space Telescope again.  He conducted two EVAs with fellow astronaut John Grunsfield.

Smith's fourth and final mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-110) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in April 2002.  He conducted two more EVAs with fellow astronaut Rex Walheim,

Discovery (STS-64) launched 1994

STS-64 crew

Front Row (L-R): Blaine Hammond, Richard Richards, Susan Helms

Back Row (L-R): Mark Lee, Jerry Linenger, Carl Meade

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-64) launched September 9, 1994. Its crew consisted of Commander Richard Richards, Pilot Blaine Hammond, Jerry Linenger, Susan Helms, Carl Meade, and Mark Lee.

Lee and Meade conducted an untethered EVA to test a new backpack called Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER), designed to be used in the event a crew member becomes untethered during a spacewalk.

They returned to Earth September 20.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Mark Lee!

Mark Lee, born August 14, 1952 in Viroqua, Wisconsin, is a veteran of four space shuttle flights.

His first flight was on Atlantis (STS-30) as mission specialist in May 1989.  The main objective of the mission was to deploy the Magellan spacecraft to Venus.

His second mission was on Endeavour (STS-47) as mission specialist in September 1992. Also on board was Lee's then-wife Jan Davis, whom he had married secretly a few weeks prior to the flight.  NASA was forced to waive the rule about married couples not assigned to the same mission.  Lee and Davis later divorced.

Lee's third flight was on Discovery (STS-64) as mission specialist in September 1994.  Lee conducted an EVA with fellow astronaut Carl Meade for almost 7 hours.

Lee's fourth and final mission was again on Discovery (STS-82) as mission specialist in February 1997.  He conducted 3 EVAs with fellow astronaut Steven Smith lasting over 19 hours total.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Jan Davis!

Jan Davis, born November 1, 1953 in Cocoa Beach, Florida, is a veteran of three space shuttle flights.

Her first mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-47) as mission specialist in September 1992.  She had secretly married fellow astronaut Mark Lee just a few weeks before.  By the time NASA found out about it, it was too late to change their rule about "husband and wife" teams not flying on the same mission.

Her second mission was aboard Discovery (STS-60) as mission specialist in February 1994.  It was the first Space Shuttle/Mir mission and the first time a Russian cosmonaut, Sergei Krikalev, flew on a space shuttle.

Her third and final flight was aboard Discovery (STS-85) in August 1997.  She operated the shuttle's robotic arm for the entire trip.

Endeavour (STS-47) launched 1992

STS-47 crew

Front row (L-R): Jay Apt, Curtis Brown; 

Back row (L-R): Jan Davis, Mark Lee, Robert Gibson, Mae Jemison,  Mamoru Mohri

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-47), launched September 12, 1992, was the  fiftieth mission of NASA's shuttle program and the second flight for Endeavour.  Its crew consisted of Commander Robert L. Gibson, Pilot Curtis Brown, Mark Lee, Jay Apt, Jan Davis, Mae Jemison and Mamoru Mohri (JAXA).

It was the first flight for an African-American female, Mae C. Jemison.  It was the first time a married couple went into space, Mark Lee and Jan Davis.  NASA has a rule prohibiting married couples from serving on the same mission, but Lee and Davis got married in a secret ceremony a few weeks prior.  By the time NASA found out, it was too late to do anything.

Mamoru Mohri became the first Japanese astronaut to fly on a shuttle mission, representing JAXA, as a payload specialist.

Atlantis (STS-30) launched 1989

STS-30 crew (L-R): Ronald Grabe, David Walker, Norman Thagard, Mary Cleave, Mark Lee

Mission patch

Space shuttle Atlantis (STS-30), launched May 4, 1989, deployed the Magellan space probe to Venus.  Atlantis' crew consisted of Commander David Walker, Pilot Ronald Grabe, Mark Lee, Norman Thagard and Mary Cleave.

The Magellan probe was deployed only 6 hours and 14 minutes after takeoff.  The crew returned home May 8.