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Thomas Akers

American - (NASA)

Retired

Date of Birth: May 20, 1951
Age: 73


Thomas Dale Akers is a former American astronaut in NASA's Space Shuttle program.

Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 | STS-41

National Aeronautics and Space Administration | United States of America
Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
Oct. 6, 1990, 11:47 a.m.
Status: Success
Mission:

STS-41 was the eleventh mission of the Space Shuttle Discovery. The four-day mission with a primary objective the launch the Ulysses probe as part of the International Solar Polar Mission.

Low Earth Orbit
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Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 | STS-49

National Aeronautics and Space Administration | United States of America
Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
May 7, 1992, 11:40 p.m.
Status: Success
Mission:

STS-49 was the maiden flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The primary goal of its nine-day mission was to retrieve an Intelsat VI satellite (Intelsat 603, which failed to leave low earth orbit two years before), attach it to a new upper stage, and relaunch it to its intended geosynchronous orbit. After several attempts, the capture was completed with a three-person extra-vehicular activity (EVA).

Low Earth Orbit
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Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 | STS-61

National Aeronautics and Space Administration | United States of America
Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
Dec. 2, 1993, 9:27 a.m.
Status: Success
Mission:

STS-61 was the first Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, and the fifth flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The mission launched on 2 December 1993 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission restored the spaceborne observatory's vision, marred by spherical aberration, with the installation of a new main camera and a corrective optics package. This correction occurred more than three and a half years after the Hubble was launched aboard STS-31 in April 1990. The flight also brought instrument upgrades and new solar arrays to the telescope.

Low Earth Orbit
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Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 | STS-79

National Aeronautics and Space Administration | United States of America
Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
Sept. 16, 1996, 8:54 a.m.
Status: Success
Mission:

STS-79 was the 17th flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis, and the 79th mission of the Space Shuttle program. The flight saw Atlantis dock with the Russian space station Mir to deliver equipment, supplies and relief personnel. A variety of scientific experiments were also conducted aboard Atlantis by her crew. It was the first shuttle mission to rendezvous with a fully assembled Mir, and the fourth rendezvous of a shuttle to the space station.

Low Earth Orbit
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Administrator: Bill Nelson

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 9 hours ago
Starlink Group 12-2
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

A batch of 21 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Electron
Success
5 days ago
StriX Launch 6
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Synthetic aperture radar satellites for Japanese Earth imaging company Synspective.


Falcon 9
Success
5 days, 3 hours ago
Bandwagon 2 (Dedicated Mid-Inclination Rideshare)
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Dedicated rideshare flight to a mid-inclination orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers…


Long March 3
Success
6 days ago
TJSW-12
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chinese classified satellite claimed to be for communication technology test purposes. Actual mission not known.


Ceres-1S
Success
1 week ago
Tianqi 33-36
Oriental Spaceport mobile launch ship - Sea Launch

4 small satellites for LEO Internet of Things (IoT) communication purposes.