This is a list of missions for the space shuttle orbiter program in the 20th and 21st centuries for NASA. On these missions, the shuttles were used for delivering satellites into Earth orbit for geophysical studies and for national defense and for resupplying the International Space Station. Each of these missions was given the acronym STS ("Space Transportation System") and a specific number by NASA. Early shuttle missions had a capital letter after the number.
Each of the mission insignia were designed by the mission crews and were approved by NASA. The insignia were designed with a theme appropriate for each mission. The last names of the astronauts were placed on each insignia.
In 2063, the mission insignia for STS-41G, STS-51L, and STS-33 were displayed in a bar in Bozeman, Montana. (Star Trek: First Contact)
In 2143, the mission insignia for STS-51C, STS-26, STS-36, STS-39, STS-49, STS-52, STS-54, STS-96, and STS-107 were displayed in the 602 Club on Earth. (ENT: "First Flight")
STS-41G[]
STS 41G was crewed by Robert Crippen, Marc Garneau of Canada, David Leestma, Jon McBride, Sally Ride, Paul D. Scully-Power, and Kathryn Dwyer Sullivan.
The shuttle for this mission was the Challenger. This was the first time that a shuttle was staffed with seven crew members, and the first time a crew was equipped with an IMAX camera for documentary film making. For further information, see STS-41G at Wikipedia.
STS-51C[]
STS-51C was crewed by James Buchli, Ken Mattingly, Ellison Onizuka, Gary Payton, and Loren Shriver.
The shuttle for this mission was the Discovery. This was the first mission for the Department of Defense. For further information, see STS-51C at Wikipedia.
STS-51L[]
STS-51L was crewed by Gregory Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Dick Scobee, and Michael J. Smith.
The shuttle for this mission was the Challenger. This mission was selected for the Teacher in Space Project, or TISP, initiated at the request of President Ronald Reagan. (The insignia for the TISP was also displayed in the 602 Club.) The mission was not completed for the space shuttle was destroyed on take-off with the loss of the crew. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was dedicated to the lost crew. For further information, see STS-51L and Teacher in Space Project at Wikipedia.
STS-26[]
STS-26 was crewed by Richard Covey, Frederick Hauck, David C. Hilmers, John M. Lounge, and George Nelson.
The shuttle for this mission was the Discovery. This mission was the first in the Space Shuttle program following the loss of the Challenger two years before. For further information, see STS-26 at Wikipedia.
STS-33[]
STS-33 was crewed by John E. Blaha, Sonny Carter, Frederick D. Gregory, Story Musgrave, and Kathryn C. Thornton.
STS-36[]
STS-36 was crewed by John Casper, John Oliver Creighton, David C. Hilmers, Mike Mullane, and Pierre J. Thuot.
STS-39[]
STS-39 (was crewed by Guion Bluford, Michael Coats, L. Blaine Hammond, Gregory J. Harbaugh, Richard Hieb, Donald R. McMonagle, and Charles L. Veach.
STS-49[]
STS-49 was a mission assigned to the space shuttle Endeavour (OV-105). Endeavour was crewed by Thomas Akers, David Brandenstein, Kevin P. Chilton, Richard Hieb, Bruce E. Melnick, Pierre J. Thout, and Kathryn C. Thornton.
The Endeavour, a replacement for the shuttle Challenger, first flew on this mission. The satellite Intelsat VI was repaired by a three-man EVA team. For further information, see STS-49 at Wikipedia.
STS-52[]
STS-52 was crewed by Michael A. Baker, Tamara E. Jernigan, Charles L. Veach, Steven MacLean, William Shepherd, and Jim Wetherbee,
STS-54[]
STS-54 was crewed by John Casper, Gregory J. Harbaugh, Susan J. Helms, Donald R. McMonagle, and Mario Runco, Jr..
STS-96[]
STS-96 was crewed by Daniel T. Barry, Richard Douglas Husband, Tamara E. Jernigan, Kent Rominger, Ellen Ochoa, Julie Payette of Canada, and Valeri Tokarev of Russia.
The shuttle for this mission was the Discovery. This was a resupply mission for the International Space Station. For further information, see STS-96 at Wikipedia.
STS-107[]
STS-107 was crewed by Michael Phillip Anderson, David McDowell Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, Richard Douglas Husband, William Cameron McCool, and Ilan Ramon of Israel.
The shuttle for this mission was the Columbia. The crew performed microgravity experiments during their stay in space. On reentry, the Columbia was destroyed when the hull breached. There were no survivors. There are two patches associated with this mission, the mission patch and a commemorative patch. On the patch, Ramon was represented by the Star of David. For further information, see STS-107 and micro-g environment at Wikipedia.
Background information[]
Footage of STS-95 (Star Trek Encyclopedia, 4th ed., vol. 1, p. 306) and STS-101 were seen in the opening credits of Star Trek: Enterprise.
Of these patches, only STS-107 was identified in the episode. Identification came from Wikipedia and other online resources.
Michael Okuda designed the mission patch for STS-125 in 2009. [1]
Apocrypha[]
The first mission of the space shuttle program, STS-1, by the Columbia was included in the Star Trek Encyclopedia, 1st ed., p. 15.