NASA's first dedicated Department of Defense Space Shuttle mission, launched on January 24, 1985, was aimed at deploying a satellite into geostationary orbit. Commanded by Apollo veteran Thomas Mattingly, the mission performed under secrecy, void of public insight until just minutes before launch. However, subsequent analysis of Solid Rocket Boosters uncovered alarming O-ring erosion that had significant implications for the future of the Space Shuttle program, echoing issues leading to the Challenger disaster a year later. The events highlighted concerns about the safety of materials used in extreme weather conditions.
The erosion was the most significant observed by the Space Shuttle program up to that point and was attributed to freezing temperatures on the pad making the O-rings brittle.
The mission was shrouded in secrecy. The actual launch time was kept secret until the T minus nine-minute mark, and public coverage of the expedition soon ceased after the successful lift-off.
Collection
[
|
...
]