STS-51-J
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STS-51-J was NASA's 21st Space Shuttle mission and the maiden flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis. It launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on October 3, 1985, carrying a payload for the U.S. Depa
DSCS-III satellites in Atlantis' payload bay
From left: Stewart, Hilmers, Bobko, Pailes and GrabeSpace Shuttle program← STS-51-I (20)STS-61-A (22) →
Atlantis lifting off the pad.
STS132 Atlantis undocking 2
Karol J. Bobko
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Karol Joseph "Bo" Bobko was an American aerospace engineer, U.S. Air Force officer, test pilot, and a USAF and NASA astronaut. Bobko was the first graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy to travel in s
STS-51-J
…Spacecraft Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch mass N/A Landing mass 86,400 kg (190,500 lb) Payload mass 19,968 kg (44,022 lb) Crew Crew size 5 Members Karol J. Bobko Ronald J. Grabe David C. Hilmers Robert L. Stewart William A. Pailes Start of mission Launch date October 3, 1985, 15:15:30 UTC (11:15:30 am EDT) Launch…
Bobko in 1979
Bobko with fellow astronaut Paul J. Weitz (left) during training for STS-6
Bobko with U.S. Senator Jake Garn (left) during the STS-51-D mission