Long Duration Exposure Facility mission

NASA’s Long Duration Exposure Facility mission studied the effects of prolonged exposure to low Earth orbit on materials, components, and scientific experiments. The uncrewed spacecraft launched inside Challenger on STS-41C on April 6, 1984, and was deployed the next day. Its 57 experiments remained in orbit far longer than originally planned as Shuttle schedule changes and the Challenger accident delayed retrieval. Columbia recovered the platform during STS-32 on January 12, 1990, and landed with it on January 20. Investigators could then compare the returned specimens and hardware with ground controls and laboratory measurements.