Photo: Bill Ingalls · Public domain (US government)
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About this launch
STS-51-C was the fifteenth flight of the shuttle program and third for the Space Shuttle Discovery. It was the first space shuttle mission dedicated to the United States Department of Defense and therefore, the mission details remain classified.
Where to watch
Replay Launch webcastMore about this launch
Flight profileThe climb, seen from the side · 3D replay on the globe
Launch window and padKennedy Space Center, FL, USA
- Site
- Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
Rocket and boosterSpace Shuttle
- Vehicle
- Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle: specs, record and next flights → Lockheed: all its launches →
MissionGovernment/Top Secret · LEO
Government/Top Secret · LEO
What it put in orbit4 catalogued objects, 1 of them satellites
| Object | Type | Orbit | Globe |
|---|---|---|---|
| STS 51C 1985-010A | Payload | re-entered 1985-01-27 | |
| USA 8 1985-010B | Payload | 35399 × 36428 km · 12.4° | Globe |
| IUS R/B(1) 1985-010C | Rocket body | 298 × 29084 km · 27.9° | Globe |
| IUS R/B(2) 1985-010D | Rocket body | 35505 × 35763 km · 12.5° | Globe |
COSPAR ID 1985-010. Orbits from the CelesTrak satellite catalogue (perigee × apogee, inclination).
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