Shuttle PAllet Satellite
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SPAS | CRISTA-SPAS |
This page contains philatelic information on the Shuttle PAllet Satellite (SPAS) series. Catalog numbers, years of issue, and notes on the satellites featured are given when available. If readers know of additional information or images, please contact the authors using the e-mail addresses at the bottom of this page.
Launch information (found elsewhere) |
Launch covers (including anniversary-of-launch covers, and launch-related event covers) (farther below) |
Other postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.) (immediately below) |
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SPAS | SPAS | SPAS |
Below is a list of Shuttle PAllet Satellite (SPAS) series postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.).
Country | Catalog Number | Type of Item | Year of Issue | Notes on Content |
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Shuttle PAllet Satellite (SPAS) | ||||
Benin | Unknown f (Mi none) | One of MS6 (a-f) [known illegal issue] | 2003 | STS-7/Challenger photographed by a camera mounted on the free-flying SPAS-1 during the STS-7 mission |
Djibouti | Unknown (Mi?) | On stamp and (left) margin from SS1, when rotated -63 deg and flipped horizontally | 2023 | "STS-7"/Challenger photographed by a camera mounted on the free-flying SPAS-1 during the STS-7 mission (and added to the stamp design) |
Guinea Republic | 930a (BL141A) i930a (BL141B) | In (lower) margin of SS1 (930) In (lower) margin of imperforate SS1 (i930) | 1985 | "Manipulator arm releasing SPAS-1" (in French text); depicted with Space Shuttle |
Guinea-Bissau | Unknown (Mi?) | On stamp from SS1 | 2023 | "STS-7"/"Challenger" photographed by a camera mounted on the free-flying SPAS-1 during the STS-7 mission |
St. Vincent | 1165 (Mi1212) i1165 | Imperforate | 1989 | Depicted with Space Shuttle |
St. Vincent | 1165 specimen | Overprinted "specimen" | ||
United States | None | (Space Voyage) cachet on cover, also detail | 1981 1986 | "Sally Ride ... deploys and retrieves SPAS-1". |
Below is a list of Shuttle PAllet Satellite (SPAS) series launch covers (including anniversary-of-launch covers, and launch-related event covers).
Country | Cancel Date | Cancel Location | Type of Item | Notes on Content |
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Shuttle PAllet Satellite (SPAS) | ||||
1983-06-18: SPAS-1 (and Anik-C2 and Palapa-B1 deployed by STS-7) | ||||
Chile | 1983-06-18 | Santiago | (Space Voyage red and purple and pink) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
Spain | 1983-06-18 | Madrid | (Green printed) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Space Voyage orange and purple and tan) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Greenbelt MD | (Space Voyage red and black and pink) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Centennial) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Houston TX | (SCCS) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Greenbelt MD | (Greenbelt STDN Station black rubber-stamp) cachet (and signature) on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Greenbelt MD | (GSFC Shuttle Tracking Team blue rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Moffett Field CA | (NASA Ames Research Center) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Moffett Field CA | (NASA Ames Research Center) cachet on (airmail) cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Centennial-like) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Centennial-like) cachet (different) on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Centennial-like) cachet (different) on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Centennial-like) cachet (different) on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Red and purple rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Red and purple rubber-stamp and black typed) cachet (and signatures) on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Houston TX | (Multi-color printed and blue rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (MBB/ERNO) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Blue mission patch) cachet on postal card | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Houston TX | (Boudwin black and green rubber-stamp) cachet on (airmail) cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Houston TX | (Boudwin black and purple rubber-stamp) cachet on (airmail) cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Ranski) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Ranski) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 | Satellite Beach FL | (Ranski) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 1983-06-18 | Houston TX Kennedy Space Center FL | (Telesat Canada) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed |
United States | 1983-06-18 1981-09-13 | Kennedy Space Center FL Dearborn Heights MI | (Ranski) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed Farmpex Station pictorial cancel |
United States | 1983-06-18 1983-06-24 | Kennedy Space Center FL Edwards AFB Station CA | (RSDSC) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed STS-7 landing |
United States | 1983-06-18 1983-06-24 | Kennedy Space Center FL Edwards AFB Station CA | (RSDSC) cachet (and signatures) on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed STS-7 landing |
United States | 1983-06-18 1983-06-24 | Kennedy Space Center FL Edwards AFB Station CA | (RSDSC red rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed STS-7 landing |
United States | 1983-06-18 1983-06-24 | Kennedy Space Center FL Edwards CA | (Titusville-Moonport Stamp Club) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed STS-7 landing |
United States | 1983-06-18 1983-10-08 | Detroit MI Dearborn Heights MI | (Sally Ride Paper Doll) cachet on cover | STS-7 launch; Anik-C2 (Telesat-7) deployed Wolvpex Station pictorial cancel |
United States | 1983-06-19 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Zaso silk/IASP no.58) cachet on cover | Palapa-B1 deployed; ("Amik-C" mis-spelled in text) |
United States | 1983-06-19 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Centennial) cachet on cover | Palapa-B1 deployed |
United States | 1983-06-19 | Cape Canaveral FL (hand cancel) | (Whitney purple) cachet on postal card | Palapa-B1 deployed |
United States | 1983-06-19 | Cape Canaveral FL (machine cancel) | (Whitney purple) cachet on (airmail) cover | Palapa-B1 deployed |
United States | 1983-06-19 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | Palapa-B1 deployed |
United States | 1983-06-19 | Houston TX | (NASA photo) cachet on cover | Palapa-B1 deployed |
United States | 1983-06-19 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Titusville-Moonport Stamp Club) cachet on cover | Palapa-B1 deployed |
United States | 1983-06-20 | Marshall Space Flight Center AL | (Ranski) cachet on cover | "STS-7 3rd day in flight" (unknown event) |
United States | 1983-06-22 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | SPAS-1 deployed to free flight (and later recovered and stowed back in the payload bay; while in free flight, SPAS-1 took this photo of Challenger, with Earth in the background |
United States | 1983-06-22 | Houston TX | (Zaso silk/IASP no.59) cachet on cover | SPAS-1 deployed to free flight (and later recovered and stowed back in the payload bay; while in free flight, SPAS-1 took this photo of Challenger, with Earth in the background |
United States | 1983-06-22 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (KSC Philatelic Society) cachet on cover | SPAS-1 deployed to free flight (and later recovered and stowed back in the payload bay; while in free flight, SPAS-1 took this photo of Challenger, with Earth in the background |
United States | 1983-06-22 1981-05-21 | Houston TX Kennedy Space Center FL | (First Rank/Space Voyage) cachet on cover | SPAS-1 deployed to free flight (and later recovered and stowed back in the payload bay; while in free flight, SPAS-1 took this photo of Challenger, with Earth in the background USA 1914 FDC |
United States | 1983-06-24 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Centennial) cachet on cover | STS-7 landing |
United States | 1983-06-24 | Greenbelt MD | (GSFC Shuttle Tracking Team blue rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-7 landing |
United States | 1983-06-24 | Edwards AFB Station, CA | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | STS-7 landing |
United States | 1983-06-24 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Titusville-Moonport Stamp Club) cachet on cover | STS-7 landing |
United States | 1983-06-24 | Edwards AFB Station, CA | (Titusville-Moonport Stamp Club) cachet on cover | STS-7 landing |
1984-02-03: SPAS-1A4 (and Westar-6 and Palapa-B2 deployed by STS-11 (41B)) | ||||
Ascension Island | 1984-02-03 | Ascension | (Space Voyage) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Space Voyage) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Downey CA | (Pictorial) cancel and (RSDSC) cachet on cover, also insert and insert back | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (RSDSC red rubber-stamp) cachet (and signature) on (airmail) cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Zaso silk/IASP no.70) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Centennial) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Cape Canaveral FL (hand cancel) | (Whitney magenta and blue) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Cape Canaveral FL (machine cancel) | (Whitney magenta and blue) cachet (and signature) on (airmail) cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Greenbelt MD | (GSFC Shuttle Tracking Team blue rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Boulder CO | (NOAA SEL black rubber-stamp) cachet on (airmail) cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Houston TX | (Black and blue rubber-stamp) cachet on (airmail) cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Houston TX | (Ranski) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Ranski) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Ranski) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Satellite Beach FL | (Ranski) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Black rubber-stamp) cachet on (airmail) cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Washington DC | (Black printed and black rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Washington DC | (Black printed and black stickers) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Washington DC | (Black printed and black stickers) cachet on (airmail) cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Washington DC | (Black rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Washington DC | (Black printed) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Marshall Space Flight Center AL | (Black rubber-stamp) cachet on (airmail) cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Marshall Space Flight Center AL | (Magenta rubber-stamp) cachet on (airmail) cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Houston TX | (Johnson Space Center Stamp Club) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Houston TX | (Black printed and black typed) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Houston TX | (NASA photo and mission patch) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 | Houston TX | (Zaso silk/IASP no.71) cachet on cover | "Rehearsal for Solar Max [SMM] repair" |
United States | 1984-02-03 1984-02-03 | Houston TX Kennedy Space Center FL | (Blue and red printed) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 1984-02-05 | Kennedy Space Center FL Houston TX | (Blue mission patch and green rubber-stamp) cachet on postcard | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed (possible) attempt to initiate the planned SPAS-1A program of experiments |
United States | 1984-02-03 1984-02-06 | Kennedy Space Center FL Houston TX | (Green and red printed) cachet on cover | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed Palapa-B2 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-03 1984-02-11 | Kennedy Space Center FL Kennedy Space Center FL | (Green and red rubber-stamp) cachet on cover, also back | STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed STS-41B landing |
United States | 1984-02-06 | Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet (different) on cover | Palapa-B2 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-06 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Centennial) cachet on cover | Palapa-B2 deployed |
United States | 1984-02-06 1984-02-07 | Houston TX, Nassau Bay Branch Houston TX | (Black rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Palapa-B2 deployed first flight of the MMU |
United States | 1984-02-06 1984-02-07 | Houston TX, Nassau Bay Branch Houston TX | (Black and red-brown rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Palapa-B2 deployed first flight of the MMU |
United States | 1984-02-06 1984-11-12 | Houston TX Houston TX | (SCCS) cachet on cover | Palapa-B2 deployed Palapa-B2 recovered |
United States | 1984-02-07 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | "First Flight - Manned Maneuvering Unit" |
United States | 1984-02-07 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Zaso silk/IASP no.72) cachet on cover | "Space Shuttle - MMU Tests" |
United States | 1984-02-11 | Greenbelt MD | (GSFC Shuttle Tracking Team blue rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-41B landing |
United States | 1984-02-11 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Zaso silk/IASP no.73) cachet on cover | STS-41B landing |
United States | 1984-02-13 | Marshall Space Flight Center AL | (Black rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | (possible that the date '13' is an error, and should have been '3') (if that is the case, then this cover is for STS-41B launch; Westar-6 deployed) |
1991-04-28: SPAS-2 (and GLOMR?/MPEC deployed by STS-39) | ||||
United States | 1991-04-28 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Mission patch) cachet on cover | STS-39 launch |
United States | 1991-04-28 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Mission patch) cachet (and signatures) on cover | STS-39 launch; SPAS-2 deployed |
United States | 1991-04-28 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | STS-39 launch |
United States | 1991-04-28 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Colorano silk) cachet (different) on cover | STS-39 launch |
United States | 1991-04-28 | Nassau Bay Branch, Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet (different) on cover | STS-39 launch |
United States | 1991-04-28 1992-04-30 | Houston TX Houston TX | (Purple rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-39 launch "CIRRIS-1A [payload] activities" |
United States | 1991-05-01 | Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | SPAS-2 deployed |
United States | 1991-05-01 1991-05-02 | Houston TX Houston TX | (Magenta rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | SPAS-2 deployed; SPAS-2 retrieval |
United States | 1991-05-06 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | STA-39 landing |
United States | 1991-05-06 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Titusville Moonport Stamp Club) cachet on cover | STA-39 landing |
1993-09-12: ORFEUS-SPAS-1 (and ACTS deployed by STS-51) | ||||
United States | 1993-09-12 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Black rubber-stamp mission patch) cachet on cover | STS-51 launch; ACTS deployed |
United States | 1993-09-12 | Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | STS-51 launch; ACTS deployed |
United States | 1993-09-12 1993-09-12 | Kennedy Space Center FL Nassau Bay Branch, Houston TX | (Green printed and cyan rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-51 launch; ACTS deployed |
United States | 1993-09-13 | Houston TX | (Black typed and blue rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | ORFEUS deployed |
United States | 1993-09-13 | Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | ORFEUS deployed |
United States | 1993-09-19 | Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | ORFEUS captured |
United States | 1993-09-21 | Houston TX | (Black typed and blue rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | "Tenth day of flight" |
United States | 1993-09-22 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Color photo and mission patch) cachet on cover | STS-51 landing |
1994-11-03: CRISTA-SPAS-13 (and ATLAS1-3 payload2 deployed by STS-66) | ||||
United States | 1994-11-03 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (ATLAS1 patch) cachet on cover | STS-66 launch |
United States | 1994-11-03 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Titusville Moonport Stamp Club) cachet on cover | STS-66 launch |
United States | 1994-11-03 | Wallops Island VA | (Blue rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-66 launch |
United States | 1994-11-03 | Houston TX | (JSC green printed) cachet on cover | STS-66 launch |
United States | 1994-11-03 | Kennedy Space Center FL (machine cancel) | (Mission patch) cachet on cover | STS-66 launch |
United States | 1994-11-04 | Kennedy Space Center FL (hand cancel) | (Mission patch) cachet on cover | CRISTA-SPAS-1 deployed |
United States | 1994-11-04 | Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | CRISTA-SPAS-1 deployed |
Germany | 1994-11-10 | Bonn | (Red and blue and green printed) cachet on (airmail) cover | "Ozonesonde" stratospheric balloon mission to obtain observations to validate remote-sensing data obtained by the "CRISTA-SPAS"-1 satellite during the "STS-66" mission (the balloon reached "34,771 m") |
1996-11-19: ORFEUS-SPAS-2 (and WSF-3 deployed by STS-80) | ||||
United States | 1996-11-19 | WSMR, NM | (Blue rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-80 launch |
United States | 1996-11-19 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | STS-80 launch |
United States | 1996-11-19 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Colorano silk) cachet (different, and medallion) on cover | STS-80 launch |
United States | 1996-11-19 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | STS-80 launch |
United States | 1996-11-19 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Mission patch) cachet on cover, also insert | STS-80 launch |
United States | 1996-11-19 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Mission patch) cachet (slightly different) on cover | STS-80 launch |
United States | 1996-11-25 | Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | WSF-3 berthing |
United States | 1996-12-04 | Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | ORFEUS-SPAS-2 captured |
United States | 1996-12-07 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Brown printed) cachet on cover | STS-80 landing |
United States | 1996-12-07 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Titusville Moonport Stamp Club) cachet on cover, also insert | STS-80 landing |
United States | 1996-12-07 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | STS-80 landing |
1997-08-07: CRISTA-SPAS-23 (deployed by STS-85) | ||||
United States | 1997-08-07 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | STS-85 launch; CRISTA-SPAS-2 deployed |
United States | 1997-08-07 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | STS-85 launch; CRISTA-SPAS-2 deployed |
United States | 1997-08-07 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Mission patch) cachet on cover, also insert | STS-85 launch; CRISTA-SPAS-2 deployed |
United States | 1997-08-07 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Titusville Moonport Stamp Club) cachet on cover, also insert | STS-85 launch; CRISTA-SPAS-2 deployed |
United States | 1997-08-07 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Brown printed) cachet on cover | STS-85 launch; CRISTA-SPAS-2 deployed |
United States | 1997-08-07 | Nassau Bay Branch, Houston TX | (Blue printed) cachet on cover | STS-85 launch; CRISTA-SPAS-2 deployed |
United States | 1997-08-08 | Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | "Manipulator flight demonstration" |
United States | 1997-08-16 | Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | CRISTA-SPAS-2 captured |
United States | 1997-08-19 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | STS-85 landing |
1ATLAS: ATmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science
2Payloads, as opposed to satellites, are neither deployed from, nor recovered to, the Space Shuttle cargo bay.
3CRISTA-SPAS-1 was deployed by STS-66 on day two of its mission. Flying at distance of about 40-70 km behind the shuttle, it collected data for eight days and then was retrieved and returned to the cargo bay. The CRISTA instrument gathered the first global information about medium- and small- scale disturbances in trace gases in the middle atmosphere which were later used in models of the atmosphere and Earth's energy balance. The complementary CRISTA-SPAS instrument, the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI), measured the amounts of ozone-destroying hydroxyl and nitric oxide in the middle atmosphere and lower thermosphere at altitudes in the range of 40-120 km. MAHRSI yielded the first complete global maps of hydroxyl in the atmosphere. The CRISTA-SPAS-2 payload included three telescopes and four spectrometers. It was deployed on day one of the STS-85 mission to gather data about Earth's middle atmosphere. After more than 200 hours of free flight, CRISTA-SPAS-2 was retrieved by the shuttle on 16 August 1997. The three CRISTA telescopes collected 38 full atmospheric profiles of the middle atmosphere. The complementary instrument (the MAHRSI) provided observations similar to those obtained during the flight of CRISTA-SPAS-1 concerning the distribution of ozone in Earth's atmosphere. 22 sounding rockets and 40 balloons were launched from the ground to provide correlating data for CRISTA-SPAS-2. Some similar ground-based missions also took place during the flight of CRISTA-SPAS-1. Here is one example.
4No free flight was scheduled for SPAS-1A during the STS-41B mission; rather, the plan was to manipulate it with the RMS (Remote Manipulator System, or Canadarm) to gain experience in handling such an object with the RMS. It turned out that that was not possible due to an electrical problem with the RMS, so SPAS-1A remained stowed in the payload bay.
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