Loren Acton, born March 7, 1936 in Lewistown, Montana, went into space aboard Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-51-F) as payload specialist in July-August 1985. It experienced multiple sensor failures in its engines during launch, and they had to perform an "Abort to Orbit", an emergency procedure, the only crew to have had to do this. Because of this, the mission was carried out at a slightly lower altitude than planned.
Maybe that is why of the seven astronauts on the flight, five of them did not return to space.
Anthony England, born May 15, 1942 in Indianapolis, Indiana, went into space aboard Challenger (STS-51-F) as mission specialist in July-August 1985. He was the second amateur radio operator to trasnmit from space during the mission. Owen Garriott was the first in 1983 from STS-9.
John-David Bartoe, born November 17, 1944 in Abington, Pennsylvania, has spent almost 8 days in space. He flew aboard Challenger (STS-51-F) as a payload specialist in July-August 1985.
Astronaut C. Gordon Fullerton, born October 11, 1936 in Rochester, New York, went into space twice.
He served on support crews for Apollo 14, 15, 16 and 17. Later he was part of two-man crews which piloted the Space Shuttle Enterprise during the Approach and Landing tests.
His first trip into space was aboard Columbia (STS-3) as pilot in March 1982. The main objective of the mission was to continue testing the Canadarm manipulator system.
His second and final flight was aboard Challenger (STS-51-F) as commander in July-August 1985. The primary payload was Spacelab 2.
Fullerton passed away in August 2013 from complications from a stroke he suffered in 2009.
Karl Henize, born October 17, 1926 in Cincinnati, Ohio, traveled into space aboard Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-51-F) July-August 1985 as mission specialist. Chosen as an astronaut by NASA in 1967, he completed jet pilot training at Vance AFB in Enid, Oklahoma(!) and served as support crew for Apollo 15 and Skylab 2-4 missions.
On Challenger, he logged 188 hours in space.
He passed away in October 1993 from high altitude pulmonary edema during a climb of Mount Everest. He was part of test to study how people's bodies would be affected by radiation for long duration space missions.
Front row (seated) L–R: Gordon Fullerton, Roy Bridges,
Back row (standing) L–R: Anthony England, Karl Henize, F. Story Musgrave, Loren Acton, John-David Bartoe
Mission patch
Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-51-F), launched July 29, 1985, was the only shuttle mission that had to "Abort To Orbit" (ATO). Shortly after liftoff, a number of sensor failings caused the main engine to shut down and the crew had to abort to orbit. They achieved orbit at a lower altitude and managed to complete their mission successfully.
Its crew consisted of Commander Gordon Fullerton, Pilot Roy Bridges, Karl Henize, F. Story Musgrave, Anthony England, Loren Acton and John-David Bartoe. Challenger's primary payload was the lab module Spacelab 2, which involved multiple experiments related to life sciences and physics.
Coca-Cola and Pepsi provided carbonated drinks for the mission in specially-designed cans, but the crew preferred Tang, since it could be mixed with chilled water available on the shuttle. The carbonated beverages weren't refrigerated and foamed excessively in microgravity.
Roy Bridges, born July 19, 1943 in Atlanta, Georgia, went into space on the shuttle Challenger (STS-51-F) July-August 1985. He was pilot and it was his only mission into space, as it was with fellow astronauts Karl Henize, Anthony England, Loren Acton and John-David Bartoe.
He became Director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center for over 6 years.
The Space Shuttle Enterprise made her fifth and final successful flight October 26, 1977. She was piloted by Fred Haise (Apollo 13) and Gordon Fullerton (STS-3, STS-51-F). She also landed on the concrete runway at Edwards AFB instead of a dry lakebed runway.
Her successful missions paved the way for future space shuttle missions.
