STS-72

STS-72 was Endeavour's January 1996 Shuttle mission to retrieve Japan's Space Flyer Unit and conduct technology demonstrations for future International Space Station assembly. Brian Duffy commanded the flight, Brent Jett served as pilot, and Leroy Chiao, Winston Scott, Koichi Wakata, and Daniel Barry flew as mission specialists. Endeavour launched from Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39B on January 11, 1996, and landed at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility on January 20 after 8 days, 22 hours, 1 minute, and 47 seconds in orbit. The mission's primary retrieval target was the Space Flyer Unit, a NASDA free-flying spacecraft launched on an H-II rocket in March 1995. Wakata operated Endeavour's robotic arm to capture the spacecraft after its solar arrays were jettisoned because latching sensors indicated trouble after retraction. The flight also deployed the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology-Flyer, a Spartan platform carrying experiments in spacecraft contamination modeling, GPS-based attitude work, laser ordnance technology, and amateur-radio communications. Wakata later used the arm again to retrieve OAST-Flyer after its two-day free flight. STS-72 included two EVAs aimed at preparing tools and work methods for station assembly. Chiao and Barry performed the first spacewalk, evaluating a portable work platform and rigid umbilical hardware. Chiao and Scott performed the second, testing utility-box, slidewire, and portable stanchion techniques, while Scott also took part in a cold-soak spacesuit evaluation. NASA reported the mission as successful, with the crew completing 142 revolutions and traveling about 3.7 million miles.