{"id":571341,"date":"2023-11-28T10:39:42","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T15:39:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=571341"},"modified":"2023-11-28T10:39:43","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T15:39:43","slug":"40-years-ago-sts-9-the-first-spacelab-science-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/40-years-ago-sts-9-the-first-spacelab-science-mission\/","title":{"rendered":"40 Years Ago: STS-9, the First Spacelab Science Mission"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>On Nov. 28, 1983, space shuttle Columbia took to the skies for its sixth trip into space on the first dedicated science mission using the Spacelab module provided by the European Space Agency (ESA). The longest shuttle mission at the time also included many other firsts. Aboard Columbia to conduct dozens of science experiments, the first six-person crew of Commander <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/former-astronaut-john-w-young\/\">John W. Young<\/a>, making his record-breaking sixth spaceflight, Pilot <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/shaw_brewster.pdf?emrc=448196\">Brewster H. Shaw<\/a>, Mission Specialists <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/garriott_owen.pdf?emrc=22e67e\">Owen K. Garriott<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/parker_robert.pdf?emrc=59d10a\">Robert A.R. Parker<\/a>, and the first two payload specialists, American <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/lichtenberg-bk.pdf?emrc=57a167\">Byron K. Lichtenberg<\/a> and German <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esa.int\/Science_Exploration\/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration\/Astronauts\/Ulf_Merbold\" rel=\"noopener\">Ulf Merbold<\/a> representing ESA, the first non-American to fly on a U.S. space mission. During the 10-day Spacelab 1 flight, the international team of astronauts conducted 72 experiments in a wide variety of science disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-1-crew-patch-s83-32900.jpg\" alt=\"The STS-9 crew patch\" width=\"162\" height=\"192\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571395\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg\" alt=\"Official photo of the STS-9 crew of Owen K. Garriott, seated left, Brewster H. Shaw, John W. Young, and Robert A.R. Parker; Byron K. Lichtenberg, standing left, and Ulf Merbold of West Germany representing the European Space Agency\" width=\"223\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg 4039w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg?resize=300,259 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg?resize=768,662 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg?resize=1024,883 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg?resize=1536,1325 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg?resize=2048,1766 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg?resize=400,345 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg?resize=600,517 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg?resize=900,776 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg?resize=1200,1035 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg?resize=2000,1725 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 223px) 100vw, 223px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571396\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-3-spacelab-1-payload-patch-s81-37811.jpg\" alt=\"The payload patch for Spacelab 1\" width=\"317\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-3-spacelab-1-payload-patch-s81-37811.jpg 5552w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-3-spacelab-1-payload-patch-s81-37811.jpg?resize=300,182 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-3-spacelab-1-payload-patch-s81-37811.jpg?resize=768,465 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-3-spacelab-1-payload-patch-s81-37811.jpg?resize=1024,620 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-3-spacelab-1-payload-patch-s81-37811.jpg?resize=1536,930 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-3-spacelab-1-payload-patch-s81-37811.jpg?resize=2048,1240 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-3-spacelab-1-payload-patch-s81-37811.jpg?resize=400,242 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-3-spacelab-1-payload-patch-s81-37811.jpg?resize=600,363 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-3-spacelab-1-payload-patch-s81-37811.jpg?resize=900,545 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-3-spacelab-1-payload-patch-s81-37811.jpg?resize=1200,726 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-3-spacelab-1-payload-patch-s81-37811.jpg?resize=2000,1211 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 317px) 100vw, 317px\" \/><br><em>Left: The STS-9 crew patch. Middle: Official photo of the STS-9 crew of Owen K. Garriott, seated left, Brewster H. Shaw, John W. Young, and Robert A.R. Parker; Byron K. Lichtenberg, standing left, and Ulf Merbold of West Germany representing the European Space Agency. Right: The payload patch for Spacelab 1.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In August 1973, NASA and the European Space Research Organization, the forerunner of today\u2019s ESA, agreed on a cooperative plan to build a reusable laboratory called Spacelab to fly in the space shuttle\u2019s cargo bay. In exchange for ESA building the pressurized modules and unpressurized pallets, NASA provided flight opportunities for European astronauts. In December 1977, ESA named physicist Merbold of the Max Planck Institute in West Germany, physicist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esa.int\/Science_Exploration\/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration\/Astronauts\/Wubbo_J._Ockels\" rel=\"noopener\">Wubbo Ockels<\/a> of The Netherlands, and astrophysicist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esa.int\/Science_Exploration\/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration\/Astronauts\/Claude_Nicollier\" rel=\"noopener\">Claude Nicollier<\/a> of Switzerland as payload specialist candidates for the first Spacelab mission. In September 1982, ESA selected Merbold as the prime crew member to fly the mission and Ockels as his backup. Nicollier had in the meantime joined NASA\u2019s astronaut class of 1980 as a mission specialist candidate. In 1978, NASA selected biomedical engineer Lichtenberg of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as its payload specialist with physicist Michael L. Lampton of CalTech as his backup. In April 1982, NASA assigned the orbiter crew of Young, Shaw, Garriott, and Parker. As commander of STS-9, Young made a record-breaking sixth flight into space. The mission\u2019s pilot Shaw, an astronaut from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/45-years-ago-nasa-selects-35-new-astronauts\/\">1978 class<\/a>, made his first trip into space. The two mission specialists had a long history with NASA \u2013 Garriott, selected as an astronaut in 1965, completed a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-skylab-3-astronauts-splash-down-after-record-59-days-in-space\/\">59-day stay<\/a> aboard the Skylab space station in 1973, and Parker, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/55-years-ago-nasa-selects-11-scientist-astronauts\/\">selected in 1967<\/a>, made his first spaceflight after a 16-year wait. Although the crew included only two veterans, it had the most previous spaceflight experience of any crew up to that time \u2013 84 days between Young\u2019s and Garriott\u2019s earlier missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571397\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-4-spacelab-arr-ksc-dec-11-1981.jpg\" alt=\"Arrival of the Spacelab 1 long module at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida\" width=\"253\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-4-spacelab-arr-ksc-dec-11-1981.jpg 577w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-4-spacelab-arr-ksc-dec-11-1981.jpg?resize=300,228 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-4-spacelab-arr-ksc-dec-11-1981.jpg?resize=400,304 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571398\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-5-spacelab-1-integration-with-orbiter-ksc-aug-16-1983.jpg\" alt=\"Workers place the Spacelab module and pallet into Columbia\u2019s payload bay in KSC\u2019s Orbiter Processing Facility\" width=\"244\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-5-spacelab-1-integration-with-orbiter-ksc-aug-16-1983.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-5-spacelab-1-integration-with-orbiter-ksc-aug-16-1983.jpg?resize=300,236 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-5-spacelab-1-integration-with-orbiter-ksc-aug-16-1983.jpg?resize=768,604 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-5-spacelab-1-integration-with-orbiter-ksc-aug-16-1983.jpg?resize=1024,805 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-5-spacelab-1-integration-with-orbiter-ksc-aug-16-1983.jpg?resize=1536,1208 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-5-spacelab-1-integration-with-orbiter-ksc-aug-16-1983.jpg?resize=400,315 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-5-spacelab-1-integration-with-orbiter-ksc-aug-16-1983.jpg?resize=600,472 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-5-spacelab-1-integration-with-orbiter-ksc-aug-16-1983.jpg?resize=900,708 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-5-spacelab-1-integration-with-orbiter-ksc-aug-16-1983.jpg?resize=1200,944 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 244px) 100vw, 244px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571399\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-6-spacelab-in-payload-bay.jpg\" alt=\"The Spacelab pallet, top, pressurized long module, and tunnel in Columbia\u2019s payload bay\" width=\"173\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-6-spacelab-in-payload-bay.jpg 812w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-6-spacelab-in-payload-bay.jpg?resize=271,300 271w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-6-spacelab-in-payload-bay.jpg?resize=768,851 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-6-spacelab-in-payload-bay.jpg?resize=361,400 361w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-6-spacelab-in-payload-bay.jpg?resize=541,600 541w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 173px) 100vw, 173px\" \/><br><em>Left: Arrival of the Spacelab 1 long module at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Middle: Workers place the Spacelab module and pallet into Columbia\u2019s payload bay in KSC\u2019s Orbiter Processing Facility. Right: The Spacelab pallet, top, pressurized long module, and tunnel in Columbia\u2019s payload bay.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pressurized module for the first Spacelab mission arrived at KSC on Dec. 11, 1981, from its manufacturing facility in Bremen, West Germany. Additional components arrived throughout 1982 as workers in KSC\u2019s Operations and Checkout Building integrated the payload racks into the module. The ninth space shuttle mission saw the return of the orbiter Columbia to space, having flown the first five flights of the program. Since it arrived back at KSC after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/40-years-ago-sts-5-columbias-first-satellite-deploy-mission\/\">STS-5<\/a> on Nov. 22, 1982, engineers in the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) modified Columbia to prepare it for the first Spacelab mission. The completed payload, including the pressurized module, the external pallet, and the transfer tunnel, rolled over to the OPF, where workers installed it into Columbia\u2019s payload bay on Aug. 16, 1983.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571417\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-7-lifting-columbia-in-vab-first-assembly.jpg\" alt=\"In the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers lift space shuttle Columbia to mate it with its external tank (ET) and solid rocket boosters (SRBs) for the first time\" width=\"279\" height=\"211\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-7-lifting-columbia-in-vab-first-assembly.jpg 575w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-7-lifting-columbia-in-vab-first-assembly.jpg?resize=300,227 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-7-lifting-columbia-in-vab-first-assembly.jpg?resize=400,303 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 279px) 100vw, 279px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571418\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-8-columbia-on-pad-39a.jpg\" alt=\"Space shuttle Columbia\u2019s first trip from the VAB to Launch Pad 39A\" width=\"168\" height=\"211\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-8-columbia-on-pad-39a.jpg 616w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-8-columbia-on-pad-39a.jpg?resize=239,300 239w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-8-columbia-on-pad-39a.jpg?resize=319,400 319w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-8-columbia-on-pad-39a.jpg?resize=478,600 478w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 168px) 100vw, 168px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571419\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg\" alt=\"In the VAB, workers have disassembled the stack and prepare to reposition the ET with its SRBs\" width=\"211\" height=\"211\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg 6786w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=1024,1024 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=1536,1536 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=2048,2048 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=200,200 200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=600,600 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=900,900 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=1200,1200 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-9-et-raise-nov-9-1983-date-in-io-cannot-be-correct-it-rolled-to-pad-nov-8-s83-43292.jpg?resize=2000,2000 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 211px) 100vw, 211px\" \/><br><em>Left: In the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers lift space shuttle Columbia to mate it with its external tank (ET) and solid rocket boosters (SRBs) for the first time. Middle: Space shuttle Columbia\u2019s first trip from the VAB to Launch Pad 39A. Right: In the VAB, workers have disassembled the stack and prepare to reposition the ET with its SRBs.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rollover of Columbia to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) took place on Sept. 24, where workers mated it with an external tank (ET) and two solid rocket boosters (SRBs). Following integrated testing, the stack rolled out to Launch Pad 39A four days later for a planned Oct. 29 liftoff. However, on Oct. 14, managers called off that initial launch attempt after discovering that the engine nozzle of the left hand SRB contained the same material that nearly caused a burn through during STS-8. The replacement of the nozzle required a rollback to the VAB. Taking place on Oct. 17, it marked the first rollback of a flight vehicle in the shuttle\u2019s history. Workers in the VAB demated the vehicle and destacked the left hand SRB to replace its nozzle. Columbia temporarily returned to the OPF on Oct. 19, where workers replaced its fuel cells using three borrowed from space shuttle Discovery and also replaced its waste collection system. Columbia returned to the VAB on Nov. 3 for remating with its ET and SRBs and rolled back out to the launch pad on Nov. 8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571420\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-10-preflight-presser-oct-3-1983.jpg\" alt=\"The STS-9 crew during their preflight press conference at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston\" width=\"207\" height=\"163\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-10-preflight-presser-oct-3-1983.jpg 681w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-10-preflight-presser-oct-3-1983.jpg?resize=300,236 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-10-preflight-presser-oct-3-1983.jpg?resize=400,315 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-10-preflight-presser-oct-3-1983.jpg?resize=600,472 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 207px) 100vw, 207px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571421\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-11-crew-walkout.jpg\" alt=\"On launch day at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the STS-9 astronauts leave crew quarters to board the Astrovan for the ride to Launch Pad 39A\" width=\"206\" height=\"163\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-11-crew-walkout.jpg 1048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-11-crew-walkout.jpg?resize=300,238 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-11-crew-walkout.jpg?resize=768,608 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-11-crew-walkout.jpg?resize=1024,811 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-11-crew-walkout.jpg?resize=400,317 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-11-crew-walkout.jpg?resize=600,475 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-11-crew-walkout.jpg?resize=900,713 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 206px) 100vw, 206px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-12-spielberg-and-lucas-watching-launch.jpg\" alt=\"In the VIP stands to watch the STS-9 launch, Steven Spielberg, left, and George Lucas\" width=\"245\" height=\"163\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-12-spielberg-and-lucas-watching-launch.jpg 927w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-12-spielberg-and-lucas-watching-launch.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-12-spielberg-and-lucas-watching-launch.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-12-spielberg-and-lucas-watching-launch.jpg?resize=400,266 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-12-spielberg-and-lucas-watching-launch.jpg?resize=600,399 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-12-spielberg-and-lucas-watching-launch.jpg?resize=900,599 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\" \/><br><em>Left: The STS-9 crew during their preflight press conference at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Middle: On launch day at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the STS-9 astronauts leave crew quarters to board the Astrovan for the ride to Launch Pad 39A. Right: In the VIP stands to watch the STS-9 launch, Steven Spielberg, left, and George Lucas.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571425\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-13-launch-s83-44997.jpg\" alt=\"-Liftoff of space shuttle Columbia on STS-9 carrying the first Spacelab science module\" width=\"624\" height=\"293\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-13-launch-s83-44997.jpg 14920w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-13-launch-s83-44997.jpg?resize=300,141 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-13-launch-s83-44997.jpg?resize=768,361 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-13-launch-s83-44997.jpg?resize=1024,481 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-13-launch-s83-44997.jpg?resize=1536,722 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-13-launch-s83-44997.jpg?resize=2048,963 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-13-launch-s83-44997.jpg?resize=400,188 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-13-launch-s83-44997.jpg?resize=600,282 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-13-launch-s83-44997.jpg?resize=900,423 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-13-launch-s83-44997.jpg?resize=1200,564 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-13-launch-s83-44997.jpg?resize=2000,940 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><br><em>Liftoff of space shuttle Columbia on STS-9 carrying the first Spacelab science module.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571426\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-14-57-degree-ground-track.jpg\" alt=\"Ground track of STS-9\u2019s orbit, inclined 57 degrees to the equator, passing over 80 percent of the world\u2019s land masses\" width=\"624\" height=\"314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-14-57-degree-ground-track.jpg 1132w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-14-57-degree-ground-track.jpg?resize=300,151 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-14-57-degree-ground-track.jpg?resize=768,386 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-14-57-degree-ground-track.jpg?resize=1024,515 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-14-57-degree-ground-track.jpg?resize=400,201 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-14-57-degree-ground-track.jpg?resize=600,302 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-14-57-degree-ground-track.jpg?resize=900,452 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><br><em>Ground track of STS-9\u2019s orbit, inclined 57 degrees to the equator, passing over 80 percent of the world\u2019s land masses<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Nov. 28, 1983, Columbia thundered off KSC\u2019s Launch Pad 39A to begin the STS-9 mission. The shuttle entered an orbit inclined 57 degrees to the equator, the highest inclination U.S. spaceflight at the time, allowing the astronauts to observe about 80 percent of the Earth\u2019s landmasses. Mounted inside Columbia\u2019s payload bay, the first Spacelab 18-foot long module provided a shirt-sleeve environment for the astronauts to conduct scientific experiments in a variety of disciplines. During the Spacelab 1 mission, the STS-9 crew carried out 72 experiments in atmospheric and plasma physics, astronomy, solar physics, materials sciences, technology, astrobiology, and Earth observations. For the first time in spaceflight history, the crew divided into two teams working opposite 12-hour shifts, allowing science to be conducted 24 hours a day. The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, launched the previous April during the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mediacast\/the-first-flight-of-space-shuttle-challenger\">STS-6<\/a> mission, and now fully operational, enabled transmission of television and significant amounts of science data to the Payload Operations Control Center, located in the Mission Control Center at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571428\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg\" alt=\"View of the Spacelab module in the shuttle\u2019s payload bay\" width=\"180\" height=\"182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg 4095w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg?resize=295,300 295w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg?resize=768,780 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg?resize=1008,1024 1008w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg?resize=1513,1536 1513w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg?resize=2017,2048 2017w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg?resize=394,400 394w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg?resize=591,600 591w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg?resize=886,900 886w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg?resize=1182,1200 1182w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-15-spacelab-module-in-cargo-bay-s09-32-1112.jpg?resize=1970,2000 1970w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 180px) 100vw, 180px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571429\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-16-hatch-open-from-video.jpg\" alt=\"Several STS-9 crew members struggle to open the hatch to the transfer tunnel\" width=\"235\" height=\"182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-16-hatch-open-from-video.jpg 1117w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-16-hatch-open-from-video.jpg?resize=300,232 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-16-hatch-open-from-video.jpg?resize=768,595 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-16-hatch-open-from-video.jpg?resize=1024,793 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-16-hatch-open-from-video.jpg?resize=400,310 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-16-hatch-open-from-video.jpg?resize=600,465 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-16-hatch-open-from-video.jpg?resize=900,697 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 235px) 100vw, 235px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571430\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-17-spacelab-module-entry.jpg\" alt=\"Owen K. Garriott, left, Ulf Merbold, and Byron K. Lichtenberg enter the Spacelab for the first time to begin activating the module\" width=\"243\" height=\"182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-17-spacelab-module-entry.jpg 1147w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-17-spacelab-module-entry.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-17-spacelab-module-entry.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-17-spacelab-module-entry.jpg?resize=1024,768 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-17-spacelab-module-entry.jpg?resize=400,300 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-17-spacelab-module-entry.jpg?resize=600,450 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-17-spacelab-module-entry.jpg?resize=900,675 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 243px) 100vw, 243px\" \/><br><em>Left: View of the Spacelab module in the shuttle\u2019s payload bay. Middle: Several STS-9 crew members struggle to open the hatch to the transfer tunnel. Right: Owen K. Garriott, left, Ulf Merbold, and Byron K. Lichtenberg enter the Spacelab for the first time to begin activating the module.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon reaching orbit, the crew opened the payload bay doors and deployed the shuttle\u2019s radiators. Shortly after, following a few tense minutes during which the astronauts struggled with a balky hatch, they opened it, translated down the transfer tunnel, and entered Spacelab for the first time. Garriott, Lichtenberg, and Merbold activated the module and turned on the first experiments. For the next nine days, the Red Team of Young, Parker, and Merbold, and the Blue Team of Shaw, Garriott, and Lichtenberg performed flawlessly to carry out the experiments. Young and Shaw managed the shuttle\u2019s systems while the mission and payload specialists conducted the bulk of the research. With ample consumables available, Mission Control granted them an extra day in space to complete additional science. One afternoon, the astronauts chatted with U.S. President Ronald W. Reagan in the White House and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, attending the European Community Summit in Athens, Greece. The two leaders praised the astronauts for their scientific work and the cooperation between the two countries that enabled the flight to take place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571431\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-18-inside-spacelab-s09-15-755.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"362\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-18-inside-spacelab-s09-15-755.jpg 2952w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-18-inside-spacelab-s09-15-755.jpg?resize=300,199 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-18-inside-spacelab-s09-15-755.jpg?resize=768,510 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-18-inside-spacelab-s09-15-755.jpg?resize=1024,680 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-18-inside-spacelab-s09-15-755.jpg?resize=1536,1019 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-18-inside-spacelab-s09-15-755.jpg?resize=2048,1359 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-18-inside-spacelab-s09-15-755.jpg?resize=400,265 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-18-inside-spacelab-s09-15-755.jpg?resize=600,398 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-18-inside-spacelab-s09-15-755.jpg?resize=900,597 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-18-inside-spacelab-s09-15-755.jpg?resize=1200,796 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-18-inside-spacelab-s09-15-755.jpg?resize=2000,1327 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 362px) 100vw, 362px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571432\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-19-garriott-drawing-lichtenbergsblood.jpg\" alt=\"Garriott preparing to draw a blood sample from Lichtenberg for one of the life sciences experiments\" width=\"157\" height=\"240\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571433\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-20-inside-spacelab-s09-01-004.jpg\" alt=\"Garriott, front, and Lichtenberg at work in the Spacelab module\" width=\"158\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-20-inside-spacelab-s09-01-004.jpg 1956w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-20-inside-spacelab-s09-01-004.jpg?resize=197,300 197w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-20-inside-spacelab-s09-01-004.jpg?resize=768,1167 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-20-inside-spacelab-s09-01-004.jpg?resize=674,1024 674w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-20-inside-spacelab-s09-01-004.jpg?resize=1011,1536 1011w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-20-inside-spacelab-s09-01-004.jpg?resize=1348,2048 1348w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-20-inside-spacelab-s09-01-004.jpg?resize=263,400 263w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-20-inside-spacelab-s09-01-004.jpg?resize=395,600 395w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-20-inside-spacelab-s09-01-004.jpg?resize=592,900 592w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-20-inside-spacelab-s09-01-004.jpg?resize=790,1200 790w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-20-inside-spacelab-s09-01-004.jpg?resize=1316,2000 1316w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 158px) 100vw, 158px\" \/><br><em>Left: Robert A.R. Parker, left, Byron K. Lichtenberg, Owen K. Garriott, and Ulf Merbold at work inside the Spacelab module. Middle: Garriott preparing to draw a blood sample from Lichtenberg for one of the life sciences experiments. Right: Garriott, front, and Lichtenberg at work in the Spacelab module.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571444\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-21-rotating-dome-s09-18-783.jpg\" alt=\"The rotating dome experiment to study visual vestibular interactions\" width=\"214\" height=\"192\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571445\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-22-garriott-processing-blood-sample-s09-129-890.jpg\" alt=\"Owen K. Garriott prepares to place blood samples in a passive freezer\" width=\"236\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-22-garriott-processing-blood-sample-s09-129-890.jpg 3715w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-22-garriott-processing-blood-sample-s09-129-890.jpg?resize=300,244 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-22-garriott-processing-blood-sample-s09-129-890.jpg?resize=768,624 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-22-garriott-processing-blood-sample-s09-129-890.jpg?resize=1024,832 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-22-garriott-processing-blood-sample-s09-129-890.jpg?resize=1536,1248 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-22-garriott-processing-blood-sample-s09-129-890.jpg?resize=2048,1664 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-22-garriott-processing-blood-sample-s09-129-890.jpg?resize=400,325 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-22-garriott-processing-blood-sample-s09-129-890.jpg?resize=600,488 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-22-garriott-processing-blood-sample-s09-129-890.jpg?resize=900,731 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-22-garriott-processing-blood-sample-s09-129-890.jpg?resize=1200,975 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-22-garriott-processing-blood-sample-s09-129-890.jpg?resize=2000,1625 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 236px) 100vw, 236px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571446\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-23-group-photo-s09-126-0441.jpg\" alt=\"Inflight photograph of the STS-9 crew\" width=\"214\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-23-group-photo-s09-126-0441.jpg 2954w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-23-group-photo-s09-126-0441.jpg?resize=300,269 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-23-group-photo-s09-126-0441.jpg?resize=768,689 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-23-group-photo-s09-126-0441.jpg?resize=1024,919 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-23-group-photo-s09-126-0441.jpg?resize=1536,1378 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-23-group-photo-s09-126-0441.jpg?resize=2048,1837 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-23-group-photo-s09-126-0441.jpg?resize=400,359 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-23-group-photo-s09-126-0441.jpg?resize=600,538 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-23-group-photo-s09-126-0441.jpg?resize=900,807 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-23-group-photo-s09-126-0441.jpg?resize=1200,1077 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-23-group-photo-s09-126-0441.jpg?resize=2000,1794 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px\" \/><br><em>Left: The rotating dome experiment to study visual vestibular interactions. Middle: Owen K. Garriott prepares to place blood samples in a passive freezer. Right: Inflight photograph of the STS-9 crew.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571447\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg\" alt=\"The Manicougan impact crater in Quebec, Canada, with the shuttle\u2019s tail visible at upper right\" width=\"225\" height=\"220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg 4098w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg?resize=300,294 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg?resize=768,753 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg?resize=1024,1005 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg?resize=1536,1507 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg?resize=2048,2009 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg?resize=400,392 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg?resize=600,589 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg?resize=900,883 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg?resize=1200,1177 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-24-earth-obs-manicougane-s09-48-3139.jpg?resize=2000,1962 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571448\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg\" alt=\"STS-9 crew Earth observation photograph Hong Kong\" width=\"220\" height=\"220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg 4077w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=1024,1024 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=1536,1536 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=2048,2048 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=200,200 200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=600,600 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=900,900 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=1200,1200 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-25-earth-obs-hong-kong-s09-33-1278.jpg?resize=2000,2000 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571449\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg\" alt=\"STS-9 crew Earth observation photograph of Cape Campbell, New Zealand\" width=\"220\" height=\"220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg 4125w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=1024,1024 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=1536,1536 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=2048,2048 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=200,200 200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=600,600 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=900,900 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=1200,1200 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-26-earth-obs-cape-campbell-nz-s09-43-2662.jpg?resize=2000,2000 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/><br><em>A selection of the STS-9 crew Earth observation photographs. Left: The Manicougan impact crater in Quebec, Canada, with the shuttle\u2019s tail visible at upper right. Middle: Hong Kong. Right: Cape Campbell, New Zealand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Dec. 8, their last day in space, the crew finished the experiments, closed up the Spacelab module, and strapped themselves into their seats to prepare for their return to Earth. Five hours before the scheduled landing, during thruster firings one of Columbia\u2019s five General Purpose Computers (GPC) failed, followed six minutes later by a second GPC. Mission Control decided to delay the landing until the crew could fix the problem. Young and Shaw  brought the second GPC back up but had no luck with the first. Meanwhile, one of Columbia\u2019s Inertial Measurement Units, used for navigation, failed. Finally, after eight hours of troubleshooting, the astronauts fired the shuttle\u2019s Orbital Maneuvering System engines to begin the descent from orbit. Young piloted Columbia to a smooth landing on a lakebed runway at Edwards Air Force Base in California\u2019s Mojave Desert, completing 166 orbits around the Earth in 10 days, 6 hours, and 47 minutes, at the time the longest shuttle flight. Shortly before landing, a hydrazine leak caused two of the orbiter\u2019s three Auxiliary Power Units (APU) to catch fire. The fire burned itself out, causing damage in the APU compartment but otherwise not affecting the landing. The astronauts safely exited the spacecraft without incident. On Dec. 14, NASA ferried Columbia back to KSC to remove the Spacelab module from the payload bay. In January 1984, Columbia returned to its manufacturer, Rockwell International in Palmdale, California, where workers spent the next two years refurbishing NASA\u2019s first orbiter before its next mission, STS-61C, in January 1986.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571478\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-27-young-in-cdr-seat-before-entry-and-landing-s09-120-250.jpg\" alt=\"John W. Young in the shuttle commander\u2019s seat prior to entry and landing\" width=\"263\" height=\"173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-27-young-in-cdr-seat-before-entry-and-landing-s09-120-250.jpg 2986w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-27-young-in-cdr-seat-before-entry-and-landing-s09-120-250.jpg?resize=300,196 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-27-young-in-cdr-seat-before-entry-and-landing-s09-120-250.jpg?resize=768,502 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-27-young-in-cdr-seat-before-entry-and-landing-s09-120-250.jpg?resize=1024,670 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-27-young-in-cdr-seat-before-entry-and-landing-s09-120-250.jpg?resize=1536,1005 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-27-young-in-cdr-seat-before-entry-and-landing-s09-120-250.jpg?resize=2048,1339 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-27-young-in-cdr-seat-before-entry-and-landing-s09-120-250.jpg?resize=400,262 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-27-young-in-cdr-seat-before-entry-and-landing-s09-120-250.jpg?resize=600,392 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-27-young-in-cdr-seat-before-entry-and-landing-s09-120-250.jpg?resize=900,589 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-27-young-in-cdr-seat-before-entry-and-landing-s09-120-250.jpg?resize=1200,785 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-27-young-in-cdr-seat-before-entry-and-landing-s09-120-250.jpg?resize=2000,1308 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 263px) 100vw, 263px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571479\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-28-landing-dec-8-1983.jpg\" alt=\"Space shuttle Columbia lands at Edward Air Force Base in California to end the STS-9 mission\" width=\"230\" height=\"173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-28-landing-dec-8-1983.jpg 1077w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-28-landing-dec-8-1983.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-28-landing-dec-8-1983.jpg?resize=768,575 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-28-landing-dec-8-1983.jpg?resize=1024,767 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-28-landing-dec-8-1983.jpg?resize=400,300 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-28-landing-dec-8-1983.jpg?resize=600,450 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-28-landing-dec-8-1983.jpg?resize=900,674 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 230px) 100vw, 230px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg\" alt=\"Space shuttle Columbia lands at Edward Air Force Base in California to end the STS-9 mission\" width=\"173\" height=\"173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg 4142w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=1024,1024 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=1536,1536 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=2048,2048 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=200,200 200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=600,600 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=900,900 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=1200,1200 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-29-postlanding-egress-s83-45648.jpg?resize=2000,2000 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 173px) 100vw, 173px\" \/><br><em>Left: John W. Young in the shuttle commander\u2019s seat prior to entry and landing. Middle: Space shuttle Columbia lands at Edward Air Force Base in California to end the STS-9 mission. Right: The six STS-9 crew members descend the stairs from the orbiter after their successful 10-day scientific mission.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571481\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg\" alt=\"Workers at Edwards Air Force Base in California safe space shuttle Columbia after its return from space\" width=\"202\" height=\"202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg 4134w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=1024,1024 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=1536,1536 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=2048,2048 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=200,200 200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=600,600 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=900,900 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=1200,1200 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-30-postlanding-sunset-s83-45655.jpg?resize=2000,2000 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 202px) 100vw, 202px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571482\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-31-columbia-ferry-flight-leaving-edwards.jpeg\" alt=\"Atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, Columbia begins its cross country journey to NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida\" width=\"202\" height=\"202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-31-columbia-ferry-flight-leaving-edwards.jpeg 927w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-31-columbia-ferry-flight-leaving-edwards.jpeg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-31-columbia-ferry-flight-leaving-edwards.jpeg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-31-columbia-ferry-flight-leaving-edwards.jpeg?resize=768,768 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-31-columbia-ferry-flight-leaving-edwards.jpeg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-31-columbia-ferry-flight-leaving-edwards.jpeg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-31-columbia-ferry-flight-leaving-edwards.jpeg?resize=200,200 200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-31-columbia-ferry-flight-leaving-edwards.jpeg?resize=400,400 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-31-columbia-ferry-flight-leaving-edwards.jpeg?resize=600,600 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-31-columbia-ferry-flight-leaving-edwards.jpeg?resize=900,900 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 202px) 100vw, 202px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571483\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-32-postflight-presser-dec-19-1983.jpg\" alt=\"The STS-9 crew during their postflight press conference at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston\" width=\"267\" height=\"202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-32-postflight-presser-dec-19-1983.jpg 601w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-32-postflight-presser-dec-19-1983.jpg?resize=300,227 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-32-postflight-presser-dec-19-1983.jpg?resize=400,302 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 267px) 100vw, 267px\" \/><br><em>Left: Workers at Edwards Air Force Base in California safe space shuttle Columbia after its return from space. Middle: Atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, Columbia begins its cross country journey to NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Right: The STS-9 crew during their postflight press conference at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The journal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/toc\/science\/225\/4658\" rel=\"noopener\">Science<\/a> published preliminary results from Spacelab 1 in their July 13, 1984, issue. The two Spacelab modules flew a total of 16 times, the last one during the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/humans-in-space\/25-years-ago-the-sts-90-neurolab-mission-nasas-contribution-to-the-decade-of-the-brain\/\">STS-90 Neurolab<\/a> mission in April 1998. The module that flew on STS-9 and eight other missions is displayed at the Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Institution\u2019s National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia, while the other module resides at the Airbus Defence and Space plant in Bremen, Germany, not on public display.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-33-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9953.jpg\" alt=\"The Spacelab long module that flew on STS-9 and eight other missions on display at the Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Institution\u2019s National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia\" width=\"223\" height=\"173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-33-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9953.jpg 3136w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-33-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9953.jpg?resize=300,233 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-33-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9953.jpg?resize=768,596 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-33-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9953.jpg?resize=1024,795 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-33-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9953.jpg?resize=1536,1193 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-33-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9953.jpg?resize=2048,1590 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-33-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9953.jpg?resize=400,311 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-33-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9953.jpg?resize=600,466 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-33-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9953.jpg?resize=900,699 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-33-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9953.jpg?resize=1200,932 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-33-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9953.jpg?resize=2000,1553 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 223px) 100vw, 223px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571490\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-34-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019img-9907.jpg\" alt=\"The Spacelab long module that flew on STS-9 and eight other missions on display at the Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Institution\u2019s National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia\" width=\"230\" height=\"173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-34-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019img-9907.jpg 4032w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-34-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019img-9907.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-34-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019img-9907.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-34-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019img-9907.jpg?resize=1024,768 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-34-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019img-9907.jpg?resize=1536,1152 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-34-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019img-9907.jpg?resize=2048,1536 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-34-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019img-9907.jpg?resize=400,300 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-34-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019img-9907.jpg?resize=600,450 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-34-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019img-9907.jpg?resize=900,675 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-34-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019img-9907.jpg?resize=1200,900 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-34-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019img-9907.jpg?resize=2000,1500 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 230px) 100vw, 230px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-571492\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-35-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9900.jpg\" alt=\"The Spacelab long module that flew on STS-9 and eight other missions on display at the Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Institution\u2019s National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia\" width=\"230\" height=\"173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-35-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9900.jpg 4032w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-35-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9900.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-35-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9900.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-35-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9900.jpg?resize=1024,768 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-35-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9900.jpg?resize=1536,1152 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-35-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9900.jpg?resize=2048,1536 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-35-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9900.jpg?resize=400,300 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-35-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9900.jpg?resize=600,450 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-35-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9900.jpg?resize=900,675 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-35-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9900.jpg?resize=1200,900 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-35-spacelab-at-hazy-sep-2019-img-9900.jpg?resize=2000,1500 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 230px) 100vw, 230px\" \/><br><em>The Spacelab long module that flew on STS-9 and eight other missions on display at the Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Institution\u2019s National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enjoy the crew narrate a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XuN2qIjf1AM\" rel=\"noopener\">video<\/a> about the STS-9 mission. Read <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/ShawBH\/shawbh.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Shaw\u2019s<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/GarriottOK\/garriottok.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Garriott\u2019s<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/ParkerRAR\/parkerrar.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Parker\u2019s<\/a> recollections of the STS-9 mission in their oral histories with the <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/\" rel=\"noopener\">JSC History Office<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\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=40%20Years%20Ago%3A%20STS-9%2C%20the%20First%20Spacelab%20Science%20Mission&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasa.gov%2Fhistory%2F40-years-ago-sts-9-the-first-spacelab-science-mission%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 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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\">Nov 28, 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\/missions\/space-shuttle\/\">Space Shuttle<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/sts-9\/\">STS-9<\/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 fetchpriority=\"high\" 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\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/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\t4 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\t6 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>On Nov. 28, 1983, space shuttle Columbia took to the skies for its sixth trip into space on the first dedicated science mission using the Spacelab module provided by the European Space Agency (ESA). The longest shuttle mission at the time also included many other firsts. Aboard Columbia to conduct dozens of science experiments, the [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":571395,"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":[2671,2725,3049],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[12664,11995],"coauthors":[11996],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"40 Years Ago: STS-9, the First Spacelab Science Mission","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/40-years-ago-sts-9-the-first-spacelab-science-mission\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/40-years-ago-sts-9-the-first-spacelab-science-mission\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg"},"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":["Missions","Space Shuttle","STS-9","NASA History"],"dateCreated":"2023-11-28T15:39:42Z","datePublished":"2023-11-28T15:39:42Z","dateModified":"2023-11-28T15:39:43Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"40 Years Ago: STS-9, the First Spacelab Science Mission\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/40-years-ago-sts-9-the-first-spacelab-science-mission\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2023-11-28T15:39:42Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Missions,Space Shuttle,STS-9,NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"John Uri\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":10,"time_ago":"7 months","featured_image":{"id":571395,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017.jpg","title":"sts-9-2-crew-photo-s83-35017","alt":"Official photo of the STS-9 crew of Owen K. Garriott, seated left, Brewster H. Shaw, John W. Young, and Robert A.R. Parker; Byron K. Lichtenberg, standing left, and Ulf Merbold of West Germany representing the European Space Agency","caption":"Official photo of the STS-9 crew of Owen K. Garriott, seated left, Brewster H. Shaw, John W. Young, and Robert A.R. Parker; Byron K. Lichtenberg, standing left, and Ulf Merbold of West Germany representing the European Space Agency"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/571341"}],"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\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=571341"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/571341\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":573431,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/571341\/revisions\/573431"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/571395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=571341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=571341"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=571341"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=571341"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=571341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}