Lockheed Space Operations CompanyLaunch Successful

STS‑61‑A

Name: Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099 | STS-61-A
Start: 1985-10-30T17:00:00Z
Location: Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099

Launched Wed, Oct 30 · 5:00 PM UTC1985-10-30 17:00 UTCLaunch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Reached orbit

Follow Lockheed Space Operations Company in the app Watch the replay

Success

Reached Low Earth Orbit

Worldwide

108th

orbital launch attempt in 1985

Lockheed Space Operations Company

8th

launch this year

Launch Complex 39A

8th

launch from this pad this year

Pad turnaround

27 d 1 h

since the pad's previous launch

Replay

Replay: CNN Coverage of The STS-61-A Launch

Mission

STS-61-A was the twenty-second space shuttle flight and ninth for Space Shuttle Challenger. It was a scientific spacelab mission funded entirely by West Germany. The payload operations were controlled from the German Space Operations Center as opposed to the regular NASA centers.

Launch Provider

Lockheed Space Operations Company

Commercial · United States of America

Launches

Successful

98%

Upcoming

scheduled

All Lockheed Space Operations Company launches

Crew

All astronauts

Space Shuttle

Vehicle history

Height

56.1m

Diameter

To low Earth orbit

27,500kg

Liftoff thrust

28,200kN

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Lockheed Space Operations CompanyLaunch Successful

STS‑61‑A

Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099

Launched Wed, Oct 30 · 5:00 PM UTC1985-10-30 17:00 UTCLaunch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Reached orbit

Follow Lockheed Space Operations Company in the app Watch the replay

Success

Reached Low Earth Orbit

Worldwide

108th

orbital launch attempt in 1985

Lockheed Space Operations Company

8th

launch this year

Launch Complex 39A

8th

launch from this pad this year

Pad turnaround

27 d 1 h

since the pad's previous launch

Replay

Replay: CNN Coverage of The STS-61-A Launch

Mission

Launch Provider

Lockheed Space Operations Company

Commercial · United States of America

Launches

Successful

98%

Upcoming

scheduled

All Lockheed Space Operations Company launches

Crew

All astronauts

Space Shuttle

Vehicle history

Height

56.1m

Diameter

To low Earth orbit

27,500kg

Liftoff thrust

28,200kN

Next From Kennedy Space Center

Kennedy Space Center schedule

NET2026

USSF-75SpaceX · Falcon Heavy · Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USAGeostationary OrbitTo be determinedNET 2026 Dec—NET

Griffin Mission OneSpaceX · Falcon Heavy · Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USALunar OrbitTo be determinedNET December

Space Launch Now for iOS and Android

Notifications before every launch you follow, live countdowns on your home screen and watch, and webcasts as they start.

See what's in the app

Scan to open on your phone

STS‑61‑A

Replay

Mission

Lockheed Space Operations Company

Crew

Space Shuttle

Never Miss a Launch.

STS‑61‑A

Replay

Mission

Lockheed Space Operations Company

Crew

Space Shuttle

Next From Kennedy Space Center

Never Miss a Launch.

Next From Kennedy Space Center