Space History for January 22

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1858
Joseph Jean Pierre Laurent discovered asteroid #51 Nemausa from the private observatory of Benjamin Valz in Nimes, France.
ref: en.wikipedia.org

1865
Born, Friedrich Paschen, German physicist (electrical discharges, infrared hydrogen spectral lines)
ref: en.wikipedia.org

1892
Born, Marcel Dassault [Bloch], French airplane builder
ref: en.wikipedia.org

1900
Died, David Edward Hughes, inventor (microphone, teleprinter)
ref: en.wikipedia.org

1903
Born, Fritz Houtermans, Dutch-Austrian-German atomic and nuclear physicist (geochemistry, cosmochemistry)
ref: en.wikipedia.org

1907
K. Lohnert discovered asteroid #623 Chimaera.

1908
A. Kopff discovered asteroid #656 Beagle.

1908
Born, Lev Davidovich Landau, Russian physicist (superconductivity and superfluidity, quantum electrodynamics, nuclear physics and particle physics, Nobel 1962 "for his pioneering theories for condensed matter, especially liquid helium")
ref: www.nobelprize.org

1909
W. Lorenz discovered asteroid #678 Fredegundis.

1917
M. Wolf discovered asteroids #860 Ursina and #861 Aida.

1938
G. Kulin discovered asteroid #2058 Roka.

1939
A uranium atom was split for the first time, at Columbia University in New York City. The breakthrough eventually led to construction of nuclear power plants for satellites (among other things).
ref: user.astro.columbia.edu

1955
Born, Thomas David Jones PhD (at Baltimore, Maryland, USA), Captain USAF, NASA astronaut (STS 59, STS 68, STS 80, STS 98; over 53d 0.75h total time in spaceflight)

Astronaut Thomas D. Jones, STS-98 mission specialist, NASA photo S97-06159 (3 April 1997)
Source: NSSDCA Master Catalog
ref: en.wikipedia.org

1965 07:55:00 GMT
NASA launched the TIROS 9 (Television and InfraRed Observation Satellite) weather satellite, designed to develop improved capabilities for obtaining and using TV cloudcover pictures from satellites.

TIROS 9 during assembly, NASA photo
Source: NSSDCA Master Catalog
ref: nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov

1968 22:48:09 GMT
NASA launched the unmanned Apollo 5 mission, the first orbital test of the Lunar Module.

Apollo 5 launch, NASA photo
Source: NSSDCA Master Catalog

NASA launched Apollo 5 on 22 January 1968. It was the first orbital test of the Lunar Module; the Command/Service Module (CSM) was replaced with a dummy nose cone for the unmanned mission. The basic flight objectives were verification of operation of the LM and ascent propulsion systems and structure; and evaluation of staging and launch vehicle performance. The 7 hour 52 minute 3 second flight was successful.
ref: nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov

1969 16:48:00 GMT
NASA launched the Orbiting Solar Observatory 5 (OSO-5) satellite into Earth orbit.
ref: nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov

1975 17:56:00 GMT
NASA launched Landsat 2, an Earth Resources Technology Satellite.
ref: nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov

1983
E. Bowell discovered asteroid #3670.

1992 09:52:33 EST (GMT -5:00:00)
NASA launched STS 42 (Discovery 14, 45th Shuttle mission) carrying the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 payload; aboard was Dr. Roberta Bondar, a neurobiologist and the first Canadian woman to go into space.

NASA launched the shuttle Discovery as flight STS 42 on 22 January 1992. On board was Dr. Roberta Bondar, a neurobiologist, a professor at University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada, and the first Canadian woman to go into space, as a payload specialist. The primary payload was the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1), making its first flight and using a pressurized Spacelab module. The international crew was divided into two teams for around-the-clock research on the human nervous system's adaptation to low gravity and effects of microgravity on other life forms such as shrimp eggs, lentil seedlings, fruit fly eggs, and bacteria. Materials processing experiments were also conducted, including crystal growth from a variety of substances such as enzymes, mercury iodide and a virus. On flight day six, mission managers concluded enough onboard consumables remained to extend the mission one day to continue the science experiments.

Secondary payloads were: 12 Get Away Special (GAS) canisters attached to a GAS Bridge Assembly in the cargo bay, containing a variety of US and international experiments.

Additional experiments in the middeck were: Gelation of Sols: Applied Microgravity Research-1 (GOSAMR-1); IMAX camera; Investigations into Polymer Membrane Processing (IPMP); Radiation Monitoring Experiment III (RME III); and two Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP) experiments.

STS 42 ended on 30 January 1992 when Discovery landed on revolution 129 on Runway 22, Edwards Air Force Base, California. Rollout distance: 9,841 feet (3,000 meters). Rollout time: 58 seconds. Launch weight: 243,396 pounds. Landing weight: 1,218,016 pounds. [Really, NASA?] Orbit altitude: 163 nautical miles. Orbit inclination: 57 degrees. Mission duration: eight days, one hour, 14 minutes, 44 seconds. Miles traveled: 2.9 million. Discovery was returned to KSC on 16 February 1992.

The STS 42 flight crew was: Ronald J. Grabe, Commander; Stephen S. Oswald, Pilot; Norman E. Thagard, Mission Specialist 1; David C. Hilmers, Mission Specialist 2; William F. Readdy, Mission Specialist 3; Roberta L. Bondar, Payload Specialist 1 (Canada); Ulf D. Merbold, Payload Specialist 2 (ESA/Germany).
ref: www.nasa.gov

1997 09:22:44 EST (GMT -5:00:00)
NASA's STS 81 (Atlanitis 18, 81st Shuttle mission) returned to Kennedy Space Center after the fifth Mir docking flight.

STS 81 was launched 12 January 1997 on time after a smooth countdown. The flight was highlighted by the return of U.S. astronaut John Blaha to Earth after a 118 day stay aboard the Russian Space Station Mir (his place was taken by U.S. astronaut Jerry Linenger who remained on Mir when STS 81 returned to Earth), and the largest transfer to date of logistics between a Shuttle and Mir. Atlantis also returned carrying the first plants to complete a life cycle in space - a crop of wheat grown from seed to seed. This fifth of nine planned dockings continued Phase 1B of the NASA/Russian Space Agency cooperative effort, with Linenger becoming the third U.S. astronaut in succession to live on Mir. The same payload configuration flown on previous docking flight, featuring the SPACEHAB Double module, was flown again.

Blaha had joined the Mir 22 crew of Commander Valeri Korzun and Flight Engineer Aleksandr Kaleri on 19 September 1996 when he arrived there with the crew of STS 79. Linenger worked with the Mir 22 crew until the arrival in February of the Mir 23 crew of Commander Vasili Tsibliev, Flight Engineer Aleksandr Lazutkin and German researcher Reinhold Ewald (who returned to Earth with the Mir 22 crew). Linenger stayed on Mir until the STS 84 mission arrived in May 1997.

Docking occurred at 10:55 p.m. EST on 14 January, followed by hatch opening at 12:57 a.m. on 15 January. Linenger officially traded places at 4:45 a.m. with Blaha who had spent 118 days on the station and 128 days total on-orbit. During five days of mated operations, the crews transferred nearly 6,000 pounds (2,722 kilograms) of logistics to Mir, including around 1,600 pounds of water; around 1,138 pounds of U.S. science equipment; and 2,206 pounds of Russian logistical equipment. About 2,400 pounds of materials returned with Atlantis from Mir. Undocking occurred at 9:15 p.m. EST on 19 January, followed by a flyaround of Mir.

The STS 81 crew also tested the Treadmill Vibration Isolation and Stabilization System (TVIS) on the Shuttle, designed for use in the Russian Service Module of the International Space Station. Another activity related to the International Space Station involved firing the orbiter's small vernier jet thrusters during mated operations to gather engineering data.

The STS 81 mission ended on 22 January 1997 when Atlantis landed on revolution 160 on Runway 33, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on the second KSC opportunity for the day. Rollout distance: 9,350 feet (2,850 meters). Rollout time: one minute, nine seconds. Mission duration: 10 days, four hours, 55 minutes, 21 seconds. Orbit altitude: 184 statute miles. Orbit inclination: 51.60 degrees. Miles traveled: 4.1 million.

The flight crew for STS 81 was: Michael A. Baker, Mission Commander; Brent W. Jett, Jr, Pilot; John M. Grunsfeld, Mission Specialist; Marsha S. Ivins, Mission Specialist; Peter J.K. Wisoff, Mission Specialist; Jerry M. Linenger, Mission Specialist (returned on STS 84); John E. Blaha returned from Mir (launched on STS 79).
ref: www.nasa.gov

1998 21:48:15 EST (GMT -5:00:00)
NASA launched STS 89 (Endeavour 12, 89th Shuttle mission) on the eighth Shuttle-MIR docking flight.

STS 89 was launched 22 January 1998 after being delayed per requests from the Russian space program to allow completion of activities on Mir. During the flight, astronaut David Wolf joined the shuttle crew from where he had been staying on Mir. His place aboard the space station was taken by Andy Thomas, the last US astronaut assigned to complete a lengthy stay on Mir.

Docking of Endeavour to Mir occurred at 3:14 p.m. EST 24 January (20:14 UT), at an altitude of 214 nautical miles. Hatches opened at 5:25 p.m. EST (22:25 UT) the same day. Transfer of Andy Thomas to Mir and return of David Wolf to the US orbiter occurred at 6:35 p.m. EST 25 January (23:35 UT). Initially, Thomas thought his Sokol pressure suit did not fit, and the crew exchange was allowed to proceed only after Wolf's suit was adjusted to fit Thomas. Once on Mir, Thomas was able to make adequate adjustments to his own suit (which would be worn should the crew need to return to Earth in the Soyuz capsule) and this remained on Mir with him. Wolf spent a total of 119 days aboard Mir, and after landing his total on-orbit time was 128 days.

Hatches between the two spacecraft closed at 5:34 p.m. EST 28 January (22:34 UT), and two spacecraft undocked at 11:57 a.m. EST 29 January (16:57 UT). More than 8,000 pounds (3,629 kilograms) of scientific equipment, logistical hardware and water were taken from Endeavour to Mir.

The STS 89 mission ended on 31 January 1998 when Endeavour landed on orbit 139 on Runway 15, Kennedy Space Center, Florida on the first opportunity at KSC. Rollout distance: 9,790 feet (2,984 meters). Rollout time: One minute, 10 seconds. Mission duration: eight days, 19 hours, 46 minutes, 54 seconds, logged 3.6 million statute miles.

The flight crew for STS 89 was: Terrence W. Wilcutt, Commander; Joe F. Edwards, Jr., Pilot; Bonnie J. Dunbar, Payload Commander; Michael P. Anderson, Mission Specialist; James F. Reilly, II, Mission Specialist; Salizhan Shakirovich Sharipov, Mission Specialist; Andrew S. W. Thomas, Mission Specialist (returned on STS 91); David A. Wolf returned from Mir (launched on STS 86).
ref: www.nasa.gov

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