Lockheed Space Operations Company
Space Shuttle Challenger OV-099
Lockheed Space Operations Company
(LSOC)
Successes: 9
Failures: 1
Pending: 0
Launch Vehicle
Space Shuttle Challenger OV-099
Configuration: OV-099
Family: Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle Challenger was the second orbiter of NASA's space shuttle program to be put into service following Columbia. Its maiden flight, STS-6, started on April 4, 1983. It launched and landed nine times before breaking apart 73 seconds into its tenth mission, STS-51-L, on January 28, 1986, resulting in the death of all seven crew members, including a civilian school teacher. It was the first of two shuttles to be destroyed in flight, the other being Columbia in 2003.
STS-41-C was the eleventh mission of the shuttle program and fifth mission for Space Shuttle Challenger. It marked the first time a shuttle performed a direct ascent. Its mission was to capsule the Solar Max Satellite and repair it whilst in orbit.