Photo: Bill Ingalls · Public domain (US government)
Mission
Astrophysics · LEO
STS-93 marked the 95th launch of the Space Shuttle, the 26th launch of Columbia, and the 21st night launch of a Space Shuttle. Eileen Collins became the first female shuttle Commander on this flight. Its primary payload was the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
What it put in orbit
| Object | Type | Orbit | Globe |
|---|---|---|---|
| STS 93 1999-040A | Payload | re-entered 1999-07-28 | |
| CXO 1999-040B | Payload | 12649 × 136195 km · 57.9° | Globe |
| IUS R/B(1) 1999-040C | Rocket body | 231 × 10264 km · 28.5° | Globe |
| IUS R/B(2) 1999-040D | Rocket body | 702 × 72614 km · 27.2° | Globe |
| IUS DEB 1999-040E | Debris | 377 × 10621 km · 28.4° | Globe |
| IUS DEB 1999-040F | Debris | 310 × 10761 km · 28.4° | Globe |
| IUS DEB 1999-040G | Debris | 317 × 10718 km · 28.5° | Globe |
| IUS DEB 1999-040H | Debris | 1098 × 9064 km · 27.8° | Globe |
Show all 15 objects
| IUS DEB 1999-040J | Debris | 1282 × 8615 km · 27.8° | Globe |
| IUS DEB 1999-040K | Debris | 899 × 9240 km · 28.0° | Globe |
| IUS DEB 1999-040L | Debris | 508 × 3607 km · 28.2° | Globe |
| IUS DEB 1999-040M | Debris | 772 × 9482 km · 28.1° | Globe |
| IUS DEB 1999-040N | Debris | 1760 × 8107 km · 27.7° | Globe |
| IUS DEB 1999-040P | Debris | 716 × 9532 km · 28.1° | Globe |
| IUS DEB 1999-040Q | Debris | 806 × 9497 km · 28.1° | Globe |
COSPAR ID 1999-040. Orbits from the CelesTrak satellite catalogue (perigee × apogee, inclination).
Where to watch
Replay Launch webcastIn the news
- APOD: 2026 October 19 – Treble Clef: Unusual X-ray Hot Radio Source NASA,
- APOD: 2026 October 18 – Sonified: Eagle Nebula Pillars NASA,
- Chandra Finds Possible Origin of ‘Treble Clef’ Waves NASA,
- NASA’s Chandra Breaks Down ‘Treble Clef’s’ Galaxy Cluster Collision NASA,
Headlines via the Spaceflight News API.