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Spacelab is a microgravity laboratory flown into space on the Space Shuttle. It consists of a large cylindrical main laboratory that is flown in the rear of the Space Shuttle cargo bay, connected to the crew compartment by a long tube. The laboratory had an outer diameter of 4.06 m, and each segment a length of 2.7 m. Most of time two segments were used, thus it had a total length of 5.4 m.In April 1973 NASA and the ESA (then known as the ESRO) agreed to build a modular science package. Construction of Spacelab started in 1974 by the ERNO (represented by VFW-Fokker GmbH, later bought by MBB, and since 2003 part of EADS Space Transportation). The first lab, LM1, was given to NASA free of charge in exchange for flight opportunities for european astronauts. A second lab, LM2, was bought by NASA for its own needs. The system also included a system of external pallets for experiments in vacuum, built by British Aerospace.
Spacelab was used in 25 shuttle flights, but was decommissioned in 1998 - science work was supposed to be moved to the International Space Station and Spacehab module, a smaller version of Spacelab. The palette was recommissioned in 2002 for flight on STS-99, and future use is likely.
Spacelab missions
- STS-9, Spacelab 1, November 1983, LM1
- STS-51-BMission Insignia Mission Statistics Mission:STS-51-B Shuttle: Challenger Launch Pad: 39-A Launch: April 29,1985,12:02:18 p. EDT Landing: May 6, 1985,9:11:04 a. PDT, Runway 17, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif Duration:Seven days zero hours, eight minutes, 46, Spacelab 3, April 19851985 is a common year starting on Tuesday. Events January events January 1 Creation of the Internet's Domain Name System. January 17 British Telecom annouces they are going to abolish the famous red telephone boxes. January 23 A debate in the House of Lor, LM1
- STS-51-FMission Insignia Mission Statistics Mission:STS-51-F Shuttle: Challenger Launch Pad: 39A Launch: July 29, 19855:00:00 p. EDT (21:00:00 UTC) Landing: August 6, 198512:45:26 p. PDT (19:45:26 UTC) Edwards AFB, California, Runway 23 Duration: 7 days, 22 hours, Spacelab 2, July 19851985 is a common year starting on Tuesday. Events January events January 1 Creation of the Internet's Domain Name System. January 17 British Telecom annouces they are going to abolish the famous red telephone boxes. January 23 A debate in the House of Lor, Palette
- STS-61-AMission Insignia Mission Statistics Mission:STS-61-A Shuttle: Challenger Launch Pad:39A Launch: October 30, 198517:00:00 UTC Landing: November 6, 198517:44:51 Duration:7 days 44 minutes 51 seconds Orbit Altitude: Orbit Inclination:57° Miles Traveled: Crew, Spacelab D1, October 19851985 is a common year starting on Tuesday. Events January events January 1 Creation of the Internet's Domain Name System. January 17 British Telecom annouces they are going to abolish the famous red telephone boxes. January 23 A debate in the House of Lor, LM2
- STS-35Mission Insignia Mission Statistics Mission:STS-35 Shuttle: Columbia Launch Pad: 39-B Launch: December 2, 1990, 1:49:01 a. Landing: December 10, 1990, 9:54:08 p. PST, Runway 22, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Duration:8 days, 23 hours, 5 minutes, 8 second, ASTRO-1, December 1990, Palette
- STS-40, SLS-1, June 1991, LM1
- STS-42, IML-1, January 1992, LM2
- STS-45, ATLAS-1, March 1992, Palette
- STS-50, USML-1, June 1992, LM1
- STS-47, Spacelab-J, September 1992, LM2
- STS-56, ATLAS-2, April 1993, Palette
- STS-55, Spacelab D2, April 1993, LM1
- STS-58, SLS-2, October 1993, LM2
- STS-59, SRL-1, April 1994, Palette
- STS-65, IML-2, July 1994, LM1
- STS-68, SRL-2, October 1994, Palette
- STS-66, ATLAS-3, November 1994, Palette
- STS-67, ASTRO-2, March 1995, Palette
- STS-71, Spacelab-Mir, June 1995, LM2
- STS-73, USML-2, October 1995, LM1
- STS-78, LMS, June 1996, LM2
- STS-83, MSL-1, April 1997, LM1
- STS-94, MSL-1R, July 1997, LM1
- STS-90, Neurolab, April 1998, LM2
- STS-99, SRTM, February 2000, Palette
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