STS-32
STS-32 was a Columbia mission to deploy the SYNCOM IV-F5 defense communications satellite and retrieve NASA's Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). Daniel C. Brandenstein commanded the flight, James D. Wetherbee served as pilot, and Bonnie J. Dunbar, Marsha S. Ivins, and G. David Low served as mission specialists. Columbia launched from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A on January 9, 1990, and landed on Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base on January 20 after nearly eleven days. The crew deployed SYNCOM IV-F5, also known as Leasat 5, and used Columbia's robotic arm to retrieve LDEF, which had spent nearly six years exposing dozens of materials, technology, and science experiments to the orbital environment.
Alerts are unavailable because this mission is no longer active.
Identity
- Aliases
- STS 32Columbia STS-32STS-32RLDEF retrievalSYNCOM IV-F5 deploymentLeasat 5 deployment
- Name
- STS-32
- Status
- completed
Details
- Astronauts
- Description
- STS-32 was a Columbia mission to deploy the SYNCOM IV-F5 defense communications satellite and retrieve NASA's Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). Daniel C. Brandenstein commanded the flight, James D. Wetherbee served as pilot, and Bonnie J. Dunbar, Marsha S. Ivins, and G. David Low served as mission specialists. Columbia launched from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A on January 9, 1990, and landed on Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base on January 20 after nearly eleven days. The crew deployed SYNCOM IV-F5, also known as Leasat 5, and used Columbia's robotic arm to retrieve LDEF, which had spent nearly six years exposing dozens of materials, technology, and science experiments to the orbital environment.
- Destination
- Low Earth orbit at approximately 178 nautical miles altitude and 28.5° inclination for deploying SYNCOM IV-F5 (LEASAT-5) to geosynchronous orbit and retrieving NASA’s Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF)
- End Date
- 1990-01-20
- Landing Facility
- Launch Site
- Outcome
- Successfully deployed SYNCOM IV-F5 and retrieved the Long Duration Exposure Facility.
- Programs
- Start Date
- 1990-01-09
- Vehicle Families
Links
- Official Url
- https://www.nasa.gov/mission/sts-32/
- Wikipedia Url
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-32
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- July 7, 2026 at 19:39:48 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 23, 2026 at 03:00:19 UTC
- Image
- Download
Other
- Affiliations
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles