STS-52

STS-52 was Columbia's October-November 1992 Space Shuttle mission to deploy the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II and operate the U.S. Microgravity Payload-1. James Wetherbee commanded the mission, Michael Baker served as pilot, Charles Veach, William Shepherd, and Tamara Jernigan were mission specialists, and Canadian astronaut Steven MacLean flew as payload specialist. Columbia launched from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39B on October 22 and landed on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility on November 1. LAGEOS-II, a joint NASA and Italian Space Agency geodynamics satellite, was deployed on the second flight day and boosted by the Italian Research Interim Stage before its apogee motor circularized the operational orbit. USMP-1 supported microgravity investigations, while the Canadian CANEX-2 package included Space Vision System and materials, fluid, atmospheric, and adaptation experiments.