Challenger... when you forget about the incident, possibly the coolest name given to a spacecraft. She's my favourite of all the five orbiters despite her brief career. Wish we could have seen her be involved with Mir and ISS!
Ironically, from I've read, Challenger was actually the favorite among many astronauts and ground crew before its destruction. She was a good spacecraft. Heck, if the booster issues were resolved before the disaster (say in 1985), there's a fairly good chance Challenger might have flown the return to flight mission after Columbia's loss in 2003 (due to the fact that the shuttles usually tended to fly in the order they were built). RIP to all 14 fallen astronauts.
@@thunderbird1921 to further add to your point of you look at the list of cancelled space shuttle missions due to the challenger disaster challenger would have flown most of them
Yes she was something! Not her fault. Discovery to me was the one, made it through it all and that was the essence of their missions, to discover. Loved them all though!
Me too. It’s tragic because we all know what would happen in 3 years from this launch. What’s worse is that way the operator at mission control who said “Challenger, go at throttle up.” sounded unnervingly similar to the way he said it on the day of the disaster.
Nope, the CAPCOM here is indeed Scobee. It's his voice and I have the full tape at home where they actually show him sitting at the console during this launch and the PAO also says his name later in the launch coverage. Covey was CAPCOM for Scobee on 51-L. Yes, lots of little ironies.
Yano.. you watch the roll program and that angle it's climbing at.. CHILLS every time! And to be able to do this in the early 80s?? Imagine the balls on these people inside at the time.. the first ever launches.. I wouldn't be able to do it lol
Sadly, three of the crew members on this flight have passed on - Commander Paul Weiz and mission specialist Donald Peterson who died several years ago and pilot Karol Bobko, who died in 2023.
The empty weight at rollout of space shuttle Challenger was 155,400 pounds and the weight of Challenger with main engines installed was 175,111 pounds. Challenger was exactly 2,889 pounds lighter than Columbia.
This was the first shuttle mission to use the lightweight external tank. The lightweight external tank was used for most of the shuttle program and was last used on the ill fated STS 107 mission space shuttle Columbia disaster.
This was the first flight of the Shuttle Challenger, whose first flight was delayed due to engine problems. The main objective of the mission was to deploy a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, but problems with the upper stage meant it was put into the wrong orbit and only after a few weeks or months was the satellite eventually inserted into the correct one. The upper stage problems meant the next TDRS deployment, again on Challenger in late August 1983 was postponed until January 1986, once again on Challenger. However, the satellite was destroyed in the disaster. The next successful TDRS deployment mission did not occur until September 1988, the first post Challenger tragedy flight, on Discovery. Altogether 6 TDRS satellites were deployed from the Shuttle, 3 from Discovery and one each from Challenger, Atlantis and Endeavour. Astronauts conducted the first spacewalk from the Shuttle, by Mission Specialists Story Musgrave and Donald Peterson. This was the last flight of the Shuttle with 4 crew members until the final Shuttle Mission in July 2011. The Commander was the late Paul Weitz, who had flown a Skylab Mission a decade earlier. The pilot was Karol Bobko, making his first flight, who would be the only astronaut to fly on the maiden flights of 2 Shuttles, Challenger and Atlantis. Mission Specialists were Story Musgrave, making his first flight, who would become the only astronaut to fly on all 5 Shuttles that flew in space, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, Endeavour and Columbia, and the late Donald Peterson, who made his only flight. This was also the oldest average age crew on a space mission.
@RJY4356 Did not know that. Wow. More trivia. Astronaut Pinky Nelson flew on the mission immediately before and after Challenger. I think that's the only time that ever happened.
I meant Concorde was futuristic at its time in the 70s as well as the Space Shuttle in the 80s, not when it was retired, anyway both Shuttle and Concorde were retired for funding matters.
I agree with you. Hopefully the world at large will collectively get bored with iPhones and Shake weights and again set our sights on the stars. Nothing personal against shake weights though....
You know they should have installed ejection seats on the challenger when it exploded if they had those seats those seven astronauts might still be alive today. R.I.P both challenger and columbia and there seven maned crews.
There were 2 ejection seats on Challenger One for the commander another for the Pilot but because they were on the lower deck there were non on for the 5 other crew members and ejection seats couldnt have helped them since pilot and commander who had ejection seats werent able to react in time it was very unexpected
They were 30 years old and severely aged. Not to mention, they were far too costly to be sustainable in the end, and much more costly than they ever were intended to be. They could only get medium-sized payloads to orbit, not heavy-lift stuff. The Saturn V was actually as productive as the shuttle...5 of them could've accomplished the equivalent of 42 shuttle missions.
And to further add to this..Obama has nothing to do with retiring the shuttle program. President Bush ordered the shuttle program to be retired in 2010 a year or two after the Columbia accident.It actually flew an extra year till 2011. Yes the shuttle launches were spectacular. But it cost BILLIONS to launch one of these. I think if we are going to spend that kind of money, it should be for further exploration such as returning to the moon or Mars. Just a thought.
Here's a thought: Maybe we should have used the shuttles to launch and assemble Moon and Mars exploration craft in orbit, so we wouldn't have to use expendable rockets to do it. Honestly, if Bush or Obama had any real plan, we could be already landing on the moon and starting work on a base by now. Politicians just don't really want to be creative or think long term on space stuff. Probably because it hasn't been a national priority for like 35 years or more.
I wouldn't say too futuristic. Concorde when it was retired was very aged and ancient by today's standards. They were retired mainly due to noise restrictions and their fuel burn. The Air France accident also helped accelerate the retirement process. Supersonic travel was also only a luxury of the rich...it really was never successfully sold to the public. I don't see a new supersonic airliner coming back for some time. There hasn't been any talk of a Concorde successor.
They do, but at the same time, reusability has proven to be every bit as expensive as building an entirely new vehicle after each launch...replacing and refurbishing is very expensive...not to mention their two accidents didn't help out either.
Challenger... when you forget about the incident, possibly the coolest name given to a spacecraft. She's my favourite of all the five orbiters despite her brief career. Wish we could have seen her be involved with Mir and ISS!
Ironically, from I've read, Challenger was actually the favorite among many astronauts and ground crew before its destruction. She was a good spacecraft. Heck, if the booster issues were resolved before the disaster (say in 1985), there's a fairly good chance Challenger might have flown the return to flight mission after Columbia's loss in 2003 (due to the fact that the shuttles usually tended to fly in the order they were built). RIP to all 14 fallen astronauts.
@@thunderbird1921 I also know that Atlantis was the most troublesome orbiter and was affectionately known as "Britney"
@@thunderbird1921 to further add to your point of you look at the list of cancelled space shuttle missions due to the challenger disaster challenger would have flown most of them
She is my favorite to
Yes she was something! Not her fault. Discovery to me was the one, made it through it all and that was the essence of their missions, to discover. Loved them all though!
I cringed at 1:45 , when they stated ,"Challenger, go at throttle up". I still remember the last flight of challenger
Me too. It’s tragic because we all know what would happen in 3 years from this launch. What’s worse is that way the operator at mission control who said “Challenger, go at throttle up.” sounded unnervingly similar to the way he said it on the day of the disaster.
Even sounds like the same person
Irony- the CAPCOM relaying calls to Challenger on her first flight was the commander on her last flight- Dick Scobee.
Lmao
RIP Challenger: You were lost thirteen years before I was born.
Wish challenger was never destroyed
Nope, the CAPCOM here is indeed Scobee. It's his voice and I have the full tape at home where they actually show him sitting at the console during this launch and the PAO also says his name later in the launch coverage. Covey was CAPCOM for Scobee on 51-L. Yes, lots of little ironies.
I was present at this launch in my capacity as a Media Technician.
Yano.. you watch the roll program and that angle it's climbing at.. CHILLS every time! And to be able to do this in the early 80s?? Imagine the balls on these people inside at the time.. the first ever launches.. I wouldn't be able to do it lol
It is truly a tragedy we lost the two first shuttles. The workhorses.
But you know what they say. Only the good die young.
Sadly, three of the crew members on this flight have passed on - Commander Paul Weiz and mission specialist Donald Peterson who died several years ago and pilot Karol Bobko, who died in 2023.
I can't believe these are a thing of the past. It's too unreal.
The empty weight at rollout of space shuttle Challenger was 155,400 pounds and the weight of Challenger with main engines installed was 175,111 pounds. Challenger was exactly 2,889 pounds lighter than Columbia.
This was the first shuttle mission to use the lightweight external tank. The lightweight external tank was used for most of the shuttle program and was last used on the ill fated STS 107 mission space shuttle Columbia disaster.
RIP Challenger
1983 - 1986
This was the first flight of the Shuttle Challenger, whose first flight was delayed due to engine problems. The main objective of the mission was to deploy a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, but problems with the upper stage meant it was put into the wrong orbit and only after a few weeks or months was the satellite eventually inserted into the correct one. The upper stage problems meant the next TDRS deployment, again on Challenger in late August 1983 was postponed until January 1986, once again on Challenger. However, the satellite was destroyed in the disaster.
The next successful TDRS deployment mission did not occur until September 1988, the first post Challenger tragedy flight, on Discovery.
Altogether 6 TDRS satellites were deployed from the Shuttle, 3 from Discovery and one each from Challenger, Atlantis and Endeavour.
Astronauts conducted the first spacewalk from the Shuttle, by Mission Specialists Story Musgrave and Donald Peterson.
This was the last flight of the Shuttle with 4 crew members until the final Shuttle Mission in July 2011.
The Commander was the late Paul Weitz, who had flown a Skylab Mission a decade earlier.
The pilot was Karol Bobko, making his first flight, who would be the only astronaut to fly on the maiden flights of 2 Shuttles, Challenger and Atlantis.
Mission Specialists were Story Musgrave, making his first flight, who would become the only astronaut to fly on all 5 Shuttles that flew in space, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, Endeavour and Columbia, and the late Donald Peterson, who made his only flight.
This was also the oldest average age crew on a space mission.
Rest In Peace Challenger you will be missed 🪦
@RJY4356 Did not know that. Wow. More trivia. Astronaut Pinky Nelson flew on the mission immediately before and after Challenger. I think that's the only time that ever happened.
Yeah it def sounds like Scobee saying " roger go at throttle up". So sad that those would be his last words a few years later:(.
400exNick the commander in this mission was not Scobee
Scobee didn't fly until STS 41-C as a pilot
OV-099, AKA Challenger.
The pride of the early Shuttle Fleet
Who is the Capcom during the launch of space shuttle challenger on STS 6
Controls: Challenger, go at throttle up.
Challenger: Roger, go at throttle up.(followed immediately by explosion)
Challenger was the only shuttle that never flew with the NASA meatball logo. Challenger's tail was also never fitted with the drag chute for landings.
This happened exactly 41 years ago today.
Man
If they let enterprise become spaceworthy
She and challenger would have been an iconic duo
I meant Concorde was futuristic at its time in the 70s as well as the Space Shuttle in the 80s, not when it was retired, anyway both Shuttle and Concorde were retired for funding matters.
ua-cam.com/video/Ja4ZlswGvpE/v-deo.html
Who gave the throttle up call to Paul Weitz?
Yes, that's right. I miss Hugh Harris. He hasn't done any launches since STS-30 in 1989 and the guys they have doing them now mostly suck at it.
"Challenger go at throttle up" hits a bit differently now.
I agree with you.
Hopefully the world at large will collectively get bored with iPhones and Shake weights and again set our sights on the stars. Nothing personal against shake weights though....
Yep good old HH has not done a launch since sts 26 think. He did the return to flight of discovery (26) not sure after that.
Rip Columbia and challenger
1983 - 1986
1980 - 2003
Concorde also was too futuristic and is today retired.
You know they should have installed ejection seats on the challenger when it exploded if they had those seats those seven astronauts might still be alive today. R.I.P both challenger and columbia and there seven maned crews.
There were 2 ejection seats on Challenger One for the commander another for the Pilot but because they were on the lower deck there were non on for the 5 other crew members and ejection seats couldnt have helped them since pilot and commander who had ejection seats werent able to react in time it was very unexpected
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_abort_modes
I think it’s Richard O covey
I know.....the seem way too futuristic to discontinue. I'll miss the space shuttle.
They were 30 years old and severely aged. Not to mention, they were far too costly to be sustainable in the end, and much more costly than they ever were intended to be. They could only get medium-sized payloads to orbit, not heavy-lift stuff. The Saturn V was actually as productive as the shuttle...5 of them could've accomplished the equivalent of 42 shuttle missions.
And to further add to this..Obama has nothing to do with retiring the shuttle program. President Bush ordered the shuttle program to be retired in 2010 a year or two after the Columbia accident.It actually flew an extra year till 2011. Yes the shuttle launches were spectacular. But it cost BILLIONS to launch one of these. I think if we are going to spend that kind of money, it should be for further exploration such as returning to the moon or Mars. Just a thought.
Here's a thought: Maybe we should have used the shuttles to launch and assemble Moon and Mars exploration craft in orbit, so we wouldn't have to use expendable rockets to do it. Honestly, if Bush or Obama had any real plan, we could be already landing on the moon and starting work on a base by now. Politicians just don't really want to be creative or think long term on space stuff. Probably because it hasn't been a national priority for like 35 years or more.
I remember both disasters
I wouldn't say too futuristic. Concorde when it was retired was very aged and ancient by today's standards. They were retired mainly due to noise restrictions and their fuel burn. The Air France accident also helped accelerate the retirement process. Supersonic travel was also only a luxury of the rich...it really was never successfully sold to the public. I don't see a new supersonic airliner coming back for some time. There hasn't been any talk of a Concorde successor.
They do, but at the same time, reusability has proven to be every bit as expensive as building an entirely new vehicle after each launch...replacing and refurbishing is very expensive...not to mention their two accidents didn't help out either.
This sounds like Dick Scobee is the commander for this flight it this true?
ndwm2112 no
No, he wasn't. The commander of STS-6 was the late Paul Weitz, one of the Apollo astronauts.
Scob was the CAPCOM for this flight.
Edit:Turns out he wasn't.Covey was.Then again,he was the CAPCOM for the first and last flights of Challenger.
Scobee didn't fly until STS 41-C as the pilot
1:39
1:39
I think it’s Dick Covey
13:29:30
yeah not the safest type of astronaut suit to wear.