STS-96
1999 American crewed spaceflight to the ISS
title: "STS-96" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["spacecraft-launched-in-1999", "space-shuttle-missions", "spacecraft-which-reentered-in-1999", "may-1999", "june-1999", "1999-in-florida"] description: "1999 American crewed spaceflight to the ISS" topic_path: "general/spacecraft-launched-in-1999" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-96" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 1999 American crewed spaceflight to the ISS ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox spaceflight"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | STS-96 |
| names_list | Space Transportation System-96 |
| image | Tamara E. Jernigan Discovery crew.jpg |
| image_caption | Jernigan outside Unity, during the mission's only EVA |
| insignia | Sts-96-patch.svg |
| spacecraft | |
| mission_type | ISS assembly |
| ISS logistics | |
| operator | NASA |
| COSPAR_ID | |
| SATCAT | |
| distance_travelled | 6000000 km |
| mission_duration | 9 days, 19 hours, 13 minutes, 57 seconds |
| launch_mass | 262035 lbs |
| landing_mass | 220980 lbs |
| payload_mass | 20056 lbs |
| launch_site | Kennedy, LC-39B |
| launch_date | UTC |
| landing_date | UTC |
| landing_site | Kennedy, SLF Runway 15 |
| crew_size | 7 |
| crew_members | |
| crew_photo | STS-96_crew.jpg |
| crew_photo_caption | Left to right - Front row: Rominger, Ochoa, Husband; Back row: Barry, Payette, Tokarev, Jernigan |
| docking | {{Infobox spaceflight/Dock |
| docking_target | ISS |
| docking_type | dock |
| docking_port | PMA-2 |
| (Unity forward) | |
| docking_date | 29 May 1999, 04:23 UTC |
| undocking_date | 3 June 1999, 22:39 UTC |
| time_docked | 5 days, 18 hours, 15 minutes |
| apsis | gee |
| orbit_reference | Geocentric |
| orbit_regime | Low Earth |
| orbit_periapsis | 326 km |
| orbit_apoapsis | 340 km |
| orbit_period | 91.2 min |
| orbit_inclination | 51.6 degrees |
| programme | Space Shuttle program |
| previous_mission | STS-88 (93) |
| next_mission | STS-93 (95) |
| :: |
| name = STS-96 | names_list = Space Transportation System-96 | image = Tamara E. Jernigan Discovery crew.jpg | image_caption = Jernigan outside Unity, during the mission's only EVA | insignia = Sts-96-patch.svg | spacecraft = | mission_type = ISS assembly ISS logistics | operator = NASA | COSPAR_ID = | SATCAT = | orbits_completed = | distance_travelled = 6000000 km | mission_duration = 9 days, 19 hours, 13 minutes, 57 seconds | launch_mass = 262035 lbs | landing_mass = 220980 lbs | payload_mass = 20056 lbs | launch_site = Kennedy, LC-39B | launch_date = UTC | landing_date = UTC | landing_site = Kennedy, SLF Runway 15 | crew_size = 7 | crew_members = | crew_photo = STS-96_crew.jpg | crew_photo_caption = Left to right - Front row: Rominger, Ochoa, Husband; Back row: Barry, Payette, Tokarev, Jernigan | docking = {{Infobox spaceflight/Dock |docking_target = ISS |docking_type = dock |docking_port = PMA-2 (Unity forward) |docking_date = 29 May 1999, 04:23 UTC |undocking_date = 3 June 1999, 22:39 UTC |time_docked = 5 days, 18 hours, 15 minutes | apsis = gee | orbit_epoch = | orbit_reference = Geocentric | orbit_regime = Low Earth | orbit_periapsis = 326 km | orbit_apoapsis = 340 km | orbit_period = 91.2 min | orbit_inclination = 51.6 degrees | programme = Space Shuttle program | previous_mission = STS-88 (93) | next_mission = STS-93 (95) STS-96 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) flown by Space Shuttle * Discovery*, and the first shuttle flight to dock at the International Space Station. It was Discovery's 26th flight. The shuttle carried the Spacehab module in the payload, filled with cargo for station outfitting. STS-96 launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 27 May 1999 at 06:49:42 AM EDT and returned to Kennedy on 6 June 1999, 2:02:43 AM EDT.
Crew
|terminology = Astronaut |position1 = Commander |crew1_up = USA Kent V. Rominger |flights1_up = Fourth |position2 = Pilot |crew2_up = USA Rick D. Husband |flights2_up = First |position3 = Mission Specialist 1 EVA Specialist 1 |crew3_up = USA Daniel T. Barry |flights3_up = Second |position4 = Mission Specialist 2 Flight Engineer Payload Commander RMS Operator |crew4_up = USA Ellen Ochoa |flights4_up = Third |position5 = Mission Specialist 3 EVA Specialist 2 |crew5_up = USA Tamara E. Jernigan |flights5_up = Fifth and last |position6 = Mission Specialist 4 Intravehicular Support |crew6_up = CAN Julie Payette |flights6_up = First |agency6_up = CSA |position7 = Mission Specialist 5 |crew7_up = RUS Valeri I. Tokarev |flights7_up = First |agency7_up = RKA
Space walk
- ***Jernigan and Barry ***– EVA 1
- EVA 1 Start: 30 May 1999 – 02:56 UTC
- EVA 1 End: 30 May 1999 – 10:51 UTC
- Duration: 7 hours, 55 minutes
Crew seat assignments
::data[format=table] | title=STS-96|url=http://spacefacts.de/mission/english/sts-96.htm|publisher=Spacefacts|access-date=26 February 2014}} | Launch | Landing | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | [[File:Space Shuttle seating plan.svg|150px]] Seats 1–4 are on the flight deck. Seats 5–7 are on the mid-deck. | | | | | | | | | | | Rominger | | | | | | | | | | | Husband | | | | | | | | | | | Barry | Payette | | | | | | | | | | Ochoa | | | | | | | | | | | Jernigan | | | | | | | | | | | Payette | Barry | | | | | | | | | | Tokarev | | | | | | | | | | ::
Mission highlights
ISSafterSTS96.jpg|Illustration of the International Space Station (ISS) during Space Shuttle flight STS-96 01 ICC STS-96.jpg|Integrated Cargo Carrier (ICC), with among other the Russian cargo crane "STRELA", which was mounted on the ISS ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Astronaut_Julie_Payette_during_emergency_bailout_training.jpg" caption="Mission Specialist [[Julie Payette]] during emergency bailout training, 8 January 1999."] ::
STS-96 was a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station carrying the Spacehab Double Module (DM) 13th Spacehab overall (6th dual module use).
Space Shuttle Discovery carried to the ISS an Integrated Cargo Carrier (ICC) with parts for the Russian cargo crane STRELA, which was mounted to the exterior of the Russian station segment. Furthermore, the ICC carried the SPACEHAB Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS) and the "ORU Transfer Device" (OTD), a U.S. built crane.
Other payloads on STS-96 were the Student Tracked Atmospheric Research Satellite for Heuristic International Networking Equipment (STARSHINE), the Shuttle Vibration Forces Experiment (SVF) and the Orbiter Integrated Vehicle Health Monitoring – HEDS Technology Demonstration (IVHM HTD).
The STARSHINE satellite consists of an inert, 483 mm hollow sphere covered by 1,000 evenly distributed, flat, polished mirrors, each 1 inch in diameter. The payload consists of the STARSHINE satellite, integrated with the Pallet Ejection System (PES), then mounted inside a lidless carrier. The HH equipment consists of one HH Lightweight Avionics Plate (LAP), then mounted inside a lidless carrier. Additional HH equipment consists of one Hitchhiker Ejection System Electronics (HESE), one 5.0 cubic-foot (142 L) HH canister, and one Adapter Beam Assembly (ABA). The purpose of the mission was to train international student volunteer observers to visually track this optically reflective spacecraft during morning and evening twilight intervals for several months, calculate its orbit from shared observations, and derive atmospheric density from drag-induced changes in its orbit over time.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/STS-96_Launch.jpg" caption="Space Shuttle ''Discovery'']] launches on STS-96 from Kennedy Space Center, 27 May 1999."] ::
The Shuttle Vibration Forces (SVF) Experiment provided flight measurements of the vibratory forces acting between an aerospace payload and its mounting structure. The force transducers were incorporated into four custom brackets which replaced the existing brackets used to attach the 5 ft (1.5 m) standard canister to the side wall GAS adapter beam. The payload was activated automatically by the Orbiter Lift-off vibration and operated for approximately 100 seconds. STS-96 was the second flight of the SVF experiment.
The purpose of the Orbiter Integrated Vehicle Health Monitoring- HEDS Technology Demonstration (IVHM HTD) was to demonstrate competing modern, off-the-shelf sensing technologies in an operational environment to make informed design decisions for the eventual Orbiter upgrade IVHM. The objective of IVHM was to reduce planned ground processing, streamline problem troubleshooting (unplanned ground processing), enhance visibility into systems operation and improve overall vehicle safety.
A copy of Blizzard Entertainment's StarCraft real-time strategy game was also flown aboard STS-96. It resides at Blizzard's headquarters in Irvine, California.
Wake-up calls
NASA began a tradition of playing music to astronauts during the Gemini program, which was first used to wake up a flight crew during Apollo 15. Each track is specially chosen, often by their families, and usually has a special meaning to an individual member of the crew, or is applicable to their daily activities. ::data[format=table]
| Flight Day | Song | Artist/Composer |
|---|---|---|
| Day 2 | "California Dreamin" | Mamas and the Papas |
| Day 3 | "Danger Zone" | Kenny Loggins |
| Day 4 | Themes from Star Wars | Space Center Intermediate Band |
| Day 5 | "Morning Colors" | US Coast Guard Band |
| Day 6 | "Amarillo by Morning" | George Strait |
| Day 7 | "Exultate Jubilate" | Mozart |
| Day 9 | "Free Bird" | Lynyrd Skynyrd |
| :: |
Notes
References
References
- Warnock, Lynda. "STS-96". NASA.
- "The International Lab in Space Helps Prepare for Life Beyond".
- "STS-96". Spacefacts.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::