{"id":168714,"date":"2018-08-30T13:33:00","date_gmt":"2018-08-30T17:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-431479"},"modified":"2023-09-25T11:44:13","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T15:44:13","slug":"sts-8-the-first-shuttle-night-launch-landing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/sts-8-the-first-shuttle-night-launch-landing\/","title":{"rendered":"STS 8: The First Shuttle Night Launch & Landing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>With its first two flights successfully completed, Space Shuttle <em>Challenger<\/em> was ready to head back into space.  As with its previous flights, this one would also be known for several \u201cfirsts.\u201d  The primary objective of <em>Challenger<\/em>\u2019s third mission, STS-8, was to deploy the Insat-1B weather and communications satellite for India.  The final orbital location of Insat-1B dictated that <em>Challenger<\/em> launch and land at night, the first time in the Shuttle program.  STS-8 was originally planned to fly the second Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) to expand space-to-ground communications between Mission Control and orbiting Space Shuttles, but during the launch of the first TDRS on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/space-shuttle\/the-first-flight-of-space-shuttle-challenger\/\">STS-6<\/a>, its Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) placed it into a stable but incorrect orbit.  NASA managers decided to replace the TDRS on STS-8 until the IUS problem could be identified and corrected.  Replacing TDRS was the Canadian-built Remote Manipulator System (RMS), or robot arm, and the Payload Flight Test Article (PFTA), an 8,500\u2013pound dumbbell-shaped structure designed to evaluate the dynamics of the RMS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA announced the crew for STS-8 in April 1982\u2013 Commander Richard H. Truly, a veteran of the STS-2 mission, and three first time flyers, Pilot Daniel C. Brandenstein and Mission Specialists Dale A. Gardner and Guion S. Bluford.  Of significance, Bluford was the first African-American to fly in space.  Eight months later, NASA added Dr. William E. Thornton as a fifth member of the crew to conduct medical investigations on the astronauts to better understand the causes of space motion sickness that was then affecting approximately one-third of all space travelers.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.35.54_am.png\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1568\" height=\"474\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.35.54_am.png?w=1568\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA History\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.35.54_am.png 1568w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.35.54_am.png?resize=300,91 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.35.54_am.png?resize=768,232 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.35.54_am.png?resize=1024,310 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.35.54_am.png?resize=1536,464 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.35.54_am.png?resize=400,121 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.35.54_am.png?resize=600,181 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.35.54_am.png?resize=900,272 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.35.54_am.png?resize=1200,363 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">STS-8 crew patch (left). STS-8 crew photo (left to right): Dan Brandenstein, Dale Gardner, Dick Truly, Bill Thornton, Guy Bluford (middle). First night launch of a Space Shuttle (right).<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>On June 24, 1983<em>, Challenger<\/em> returned to Earth in California from its previous mission, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/sally-ride-first-american-woman-in-space\/\">STS-7<\/a>, and five days later arrived back at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida.  Technicians refurbished the orbiter, mated it with its twin Solid Rocket Boosters and External Tank and rolled the stack out to Launch Complex 39A on August 2, a then-record turnaround time.  While on the pad, the stack rode out Hurricane Barry which made landfall just south of KSC.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.06_am.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1560\" height=\"504\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.06_am.png?w=1560\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA History\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.06_am.png 1560w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.06_am.png?resize=300,97 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.06_am.png?resize=768,248 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.06_am.png?resize=1024,331 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.06_am.png?resize=1536,496 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.06_am.png?resize=400,129 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.06_am.png?resize=600,194 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.06_am.png?resize=900,291 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.06_am.png?resize=1200,388 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1560px) 100vw, 1560px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Guy Bluford, the first African-American in space, works out on the Shuttle\u2019s treadmill (left). Dale Gardner and Dr. Bill Thornton conduct medical experiments (right).<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>On August 30, <em>Challenger<\/em> and her crew thundered into the night sky at KSC, only the second night launch in the American human space flight program \u2013 the first was Apollo 17 in 1972.  They entered a circular orbit around the Earth and got to work on their flight plan, which included Dr. Thornton taking the first measurements for the space motion sickness studies that continued throughout the mission.  On the second day, Bluford deployed the Insat-1B satellite and activated the Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System, a commercial experiment sponsored by McDonnell Douglas and developed to separate cells using an electric current, a process believed to be more efficient in microgravity.  Over the next several days, Truly and Gardner maneuvered the RMS with the PFTA attached to various positions and arm joint angles to test its full dynamic range.  The crew held an in-flight press conference and also spoke with President Ronald W. Reagan, who congratulated them on a successful mission.  On September 5, the crew fired <em>Challenger<\/em>\u2019s engines to return to Earth, and made the first night landing of the Shuttle program at Edwards Air Force Base in California, having completed 98 orbits around the Earth in 6 days, 1 hour and 9 minutes.  NASA ferried <em>Challenger<\/em> back to KSC to prepare it for its next historic mission.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.17_am.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1558\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.17_am.png?w=1558\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA History\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.17_am.png 1558w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.17_am.png?resize=300,77 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.17_am.png?resize=768,197 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.17_am.png?resize=1024,263 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.17_am.png?resize=1536,394 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.17_am.png?resize=400,103 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.17_am.png?resize=600,154 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.17_am.png?resize=900,231 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/screen_shot_2018-08-30_at_8.36.17_am.png?resize=1200,308 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1558px) 100vw, 1558px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">The Shuttle\u2019s Canadian-built Remote Manipulator System gets a workout lifting the PFTA (left). Deployment of the Insat-1B satellite (middle). Space Shuttle Challenger lands at Edward AFB to end the STS-8 mission in the first night landing of the program (right).<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Read\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20161230134409\/https:\/\/www.jsc.nasa.gov\/history\/oral_histories\/BrandensteinDC\/brandensteindc.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Dan Brandenstein\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20161222000749\/http:\/\/www.jsc.nasa.gov\/history\/oral_histories\/BlufordGS\/blufordgs.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Guy Bluford\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0recollections of the STS-8 mission in their oral histories with the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/johnson\/history\/\" data-type=\"URL\">JSC History Office<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enjoy the crew narrated video about the STS-8 mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"STS-8: The First Shuttle Night Launch & Landing\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zOiXPQg2RhI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 article_a hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-credits-and-details\">\n<section class=\"padding-x-0 padding-top-5 padding-bottom-2 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-2 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Share<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"social-icons social-icons-round\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-x\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/intent\/tweet?via=NASA&text=STS%208%3A%20The%20First%20Shuttle%20Night%20Launch%20%26amp%3B%20Landing&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasa.gov%2Fhistory%2Fsts-8-the-first-shuttle-night-launch-landing%2F\" aria-label=\"Share on X.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"1200\" height=\"1227\" viewBox=\"0 0 1200 1227\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M714.163 519.284L1160.89 0H1055.03L667.137 450.887L357.328 0H0L468.492 681.821L0 1226.37H105.866L515.491 750.218L842.672 1226.37H1200L714.137 519.284H714.163ZM569.165 687.828L521.697 619.934L144.011 79.6944H306.615L611.412 515.685L658.88 583.579L1055.08 1150.3H892.476L569.165 687.854V687.828Z\" fill=\"white\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-facebook\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasa.gov%2Fhistory%2Fsts-8-the-first-shuttle-night-launch-landing%2F\" aria-label=\"Share on Facebook.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M9 8h-3v4h3v12h5v-12h3.642l.358-4h-4v-1.667c0-.955.192-1.333 1.115-1.333h2.885v-5h-3.808c-3.596 0-5.192 1.583-5.192 4.615v3.385z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-linkedin\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasa.gov%2Fhistory%2Fsts-8-the-first-shuttle-night-launch-landing%2F\" aria-label=\"Share on LinkedIn.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M4.98 3.5c0 1.381-1.11 2.5-2.48 2.5s-2.48-1.119-2.48-2.5c0-1.38 1.11-2.5 2.48-2.5s2.48 1.12 2.48 2.5zm.02 4.5h-5v16h5v-16zm7.982 0h-4.968v16h4.969v-8.399c0-4.67 6.029-5.052 6.029 0v8.399h4.988v-10.131c0-7.88-8.922-7.593-11.018-3.714v-2.155z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-rss\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/feed\/\" aria-label=\"Subscribe to RSS feed.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 800 800\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M493 652H392c0-134-111-244-244-244V307c189 0 345 156 345 345zm71 0c0-228-188-416-416-416V132c285 0 520 235 520 520z\"\/><circle cx=\"219\" cy=\"581\" r=\"71\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Details<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading\">Last Updated<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-8\">Sep 25, 2023<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black \"><div class=\"margin-bottom-2\"><h2 class=\"heading-14\">Related Terms<\/h2><\/div><ul class=\"article-tags\"><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/\">NASA History<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/humans-in-space\/astronauts\/former-astronauts\/dale-a-gardner\/\">Dale A. Gardner<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/humans-in-space\/astronauts\/former-astronauts\/daniel-c-brandenstein\/\">Daniel C. Brandenstein<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/former-astronaut-guion-bluford\/\">Guion S. Bluford Jr.<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/former-astronaut-richard-truly\/\">Richard H. Truly<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/sts-8\/\">STS-8<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/thornton_william_0.pdf?emrc=0b45f7\">William E. Thornton<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-articles\">\t\t<section class=\"hds-related-articles padding-x-0 padding-y-3 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"w-100 grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0 text-align-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\"><h2 style=\"max-width: 100%;\" class=\"width-full w-full maxw-full\">Explore More<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/flag-day-2024-one-small-flags-incredible-journey\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=400,300 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=600,450 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=900,675 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">7 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Flag Day 2024 \u2013 One Small Flag\u2019s Incredible Journey<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/55-years-ago-manned-orbiting-laboratory-cancellation\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg 424w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?resize=300,212 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?resize=400,283 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">10 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">55 Years Ago: Manned Orbiting Laboratory Cancellation<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t5 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/55-years-ago-star-trek-final-episode-airs-relationship-with-nasa-endures\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"217\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=300,217 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=768,555 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=400,289 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=600,434 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">15 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">55 Years Ago: Star Trek Final Episode Airs, Relationship with NASA Endures<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 weeks ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With its first two flights successfully completed, Space Shuttle Challenger was ready to head back into space.  As with its previous flights, this one would also be known for several \u201cfirsts.\u201d  The primary objective of Challenger\u2019s third mission, STS-8, was to deploy the Insat-1B weather and communications satellite for India.  The final orbital location of [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":261453,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2671,3539,3466,3461,3729,3082,3726],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[12664],"coauthors":[11996],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"STS 8: The First Shuttle Night Launch & Landing","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/sts-8-the-first-shuttle-night-launch-landing\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/sts-8-the-first-shuttle-night-launch-landing\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s83-38479\/s83-38479~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1254&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s83-38479\/s83-38479~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1254&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint"},"articleSection":"NASA History","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"John Uri"}],"creator":["John Uri"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Humans in Space","Astronauts","Former Astronauts","William E. Thornton","NASA History","Dale A. Gardner","Daniel C. Brandenstein","Guion S. Bluford Jr.","Richard H. Truly","STS-8"],"dateCreated":"2018-08-30T17:33:00Z","datePublished":"2018-08-30T17:33:00Z","dateModified":"2023-09-25T15:44:13Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"STS 8: The First Shuttle Night Launch & Landing\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/sts-8-the-first-shuttle-night-launch-landing\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s83-38479\/s83-38479~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1254&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2018-08-30T17:33:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Humans in Space,Astronauts,Former Astronauts,William E. Thornton,NASA History,Dale A. Gardner,Daniel C. Brandenstein,Guion S. Bluford Jr.,Richard H. Truly,STS-8\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"John Uri\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":3,"time_ago":"6 years","featured_image":{"id":261453,"file":"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s83-38479\/s83-38479~large.jpg","title":"PREFLIGHT – STS-8 – KSC","alt":"The 5-man crew of STS-8 poses in front of the Space Shuttle at Kennedy Space Center","caption":"S83-38479 (16 Aug 1983) --- STS-8 crew poses at pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) during a session with the news media. From left to right are Astronauts Dale A. Gardner, Guion S. Bluford, and Dr. William E. Thornton, all mission specialists; Daniel C. Brandenstein, pilot; and Richard F. Truly, crew commander."},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168714"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=168714"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168714\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":520097,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168714\/revisions\/520097"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/261453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=168714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=168714"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=168714"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=168714"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=168714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}