View source for Engineering:STS-38

{{Infobox spaceflight
| name               = STS-38
| names_list         = [[Astronomy:Space Transportation System|Space Transportation System]]-38
| image              = STS038-84-23 Atlantis.jpg
| image_caption      = ''Atlantis'' in orbit; in-flight photography of this Department of Defense support mission is limited
| mission_type       = DoD satellite deployment
| operator           = [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]
| mission_duration   = {{time interval|November 15, 1990, 23:48:15|November 20, 1990, 21:42:46|show=dhms|sep=,}}
| distance_travelled = {{cvt|3291199|km}}
| orbits_completed   = 79
| spacecraft         = {{OV|104}}
| launch_mass        = {{cvt|2,055,639|kg}}
| landing_mass       = {{cvt|86677|kg}}
| payload_mass       = (Classified)
| crew_size          = 5
| crew_members       = {{Unbulleted list|Richard O. Covey|Frank L. Culbertson Jr.|Carl J. Meade|Robert C. Springer|Charles D. Gemar}}
| launch_date        = {{Start date text|November 15, 1990, 23:48:15|timezone=yes}}{{nbsp}}[[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] (6:48:15{{nbsp}}pm{{nbsp}}EST)
| launch_site        = Kennedy, [[Astronomy:Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A|LC-39A]]
| launch_contractor  = [[Company:Rockwell International|Rockwell International]]
| landing_date       = {{End date text|November 20, 1990, 21:42:46|timezone=yes}}{{nbsp}}UTC (4:42:46{{nbsp}}pm{{nbsp}}EST)
| landing_site       = Kennedy, [[Organization:Shuttle Landing Facility|SLF&nbsp;Runway&nbsp;33]]
| orbit_reference    = [[Astronomy:Geocentric orbit|Geocentric orbit]]<ref name="SATCAT">{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt|title=Satellite Catalog|publisher=Jonathan's Space Page|access-date=May 24, 2013|archive-date=October 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018141934/http://www.planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt|url-status=live}}</ref>
| orbit_regime       = [[Astronomy:Low Earth orbit|Low Earth orbit]]
| orbit_periapsis    = {{cvt|260|km}}
| orbit_apoapsis     = {{cvt|269|km}}
| orbit_inclination  = 28.45°
| orbit_period       = 89.79 minutes
| apsis              = gee
| insignia           = STS-38 patch.svg
| insignia_caption   = STS-38 mission patch
| crew_photo         = Sts-38 crew.jpg
| crew_photo_caption = Standing: Gemar, Springer and Meade<br />Seated: Culbertson and Covey
| programme          = [[Engineering:Space Shuttle program|Space Shuttle program]]
| previous_mission   = [[Engineering:STS-41|STS-41]] (36)
| next_mission       = [[Astronomy:STS-35|STS-35]] (38)
}}

'''STS-38''' was a [[Engineering:Space Shuttle|Space Shuttle]] mission by [[Organization:NASA|NASA]] using the [[Engineering:Space Shuttle Atlantis|Space Shuttle ''Atlantis'']]. It was the 37th shuttle mission and carried a classified payload for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). It was the seventh flight for ''Atlantis'' and the seventh flight dedicated to the Department of Defense. The mission was a 4-day mission that traveled {{cvt|3291199|km}} and completed 79 revolutions. ''Atlantis'' landed at Kennedy Space Center's [[Organization:Shuttle Landing Facility|Shuttle Landing Facility]]'s runway 33. The launch was originally scheduled for July 1990 but was rescheduled due to a [[Physics:Hydrogen leak testing|hydrogen leak]] found on {{OV|102}} during the [[Astronomy:STS-35|STS-35]] countdown. During a rollback to the [[Organization:Orbiter Processing Facility|Orbiter Processing Facility]] ''Atlantis'' was damaged during a hail storm. The eventual launch date of November 15, 1990, was set due to a payload problem. The launch window was between 18:30 and 22:30 [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]. The launch occurred at 18:48:13 EST.<ref name="Camp">{{Cite report |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19920008315/downloads/19920008315.pdf |title=STS-38 Space Shuttle mission report |last=Camp |first=David W. |last2=Germany |first2=D. M. |last3=Nicholson |first3=Leonard S. |date=1991-01-01 |publisher=NASA |access-date=2025-11-15}}</ref> The mission ended with a landing at the [[Organization:Shuttle Landing Facility|Shuttle Landing Facility]], marking the first time in five years that a mission returned to the Kennedy Space Center since [[Engineering:STS-51-D|STS-51-D]]. This also marked the first time ''Atlantis'' ended a mission at the Kennedy Space Center.

== Crew ==
{{Spaceflight crew
| terminology = Astronaut

| position1   = Commander
| crew1_up    = Richard O. Covey
| flights1_up = Third

| position2   = Pilot
| crew2_up    = Frank L. Culbertson Jr.
| flights2_up = First

| position3   = Mission Specialist 1
| crew3_up    = Carl J. Meade
| flights3_up = First

| position4   = Mission Specialist 2<br>Flight Engineer
| crew4_up    = Robert C. Springer
| flights4_up = Second and last

| position5   = Mission Specialist 3
| crew5_up    = Charles D. Gemar
| flights5_up = First
}}

=== Crew seat assignments ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Seat<ref>{{cite web|title=STS-38|url=http://spacefacts.de/mission/english/sts-38.htm|publisher=Spacefacts|access-date=February 26, 2014|archive-date=October 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030174606/http://www.spacefacts.de/mission/english/sts-38.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> 
! Launch
! Landing
|rowspan=8| 150px<br />Seats 1–4 are on the flight deck.<br />Seats 5–7 are on the mid-deck.
|-
! 1
|colspan=2| Covey
|-
! 2
|colspan=2| Culbertson 
|-
! 3
| Meade
| Gemar
|-
! 4
|colspan=2| Springer
|-
! 5
| Gemar
| Meade
|-
! 6
|colspan=2 style="background-color:lightgray"| ''Unused''
|-
! 7
|colspan=2 style="background-color:lightgray"| ''Unused''
|}

== Preparations and launch ==
The launch occurred on November 15, 1990, 18:48:13 EST. It was originally scheduled for July 9, 1990, however, a [[Chemistry:Liquid hydrogen|liquid hydrogen]] leak found on [[Engineering:Space Shuttle Columbia|''Columbia'']] during the [[Astronomy:STS-35|STS-35]] countdown prompted three precautionary tanking tests on ''Atlantis'' at the pad on June 29, 1990, on July 13, and on July 25, 1990.<ref name="Debris/Ice/TPS">{{Cite report |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19910007800/downloads/19910007800.pdf |title=Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Photographic Analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-38 |last=Higginbotham |first=Scott A. |last2=Davis |first2=J. Bradley |date=1991-02-01 |publisher=NASA |access-date=2025-11-15 |journal=}}</ref>{{Reference page|pages=10,12,15}} Tests confirmed the hydrogen fuel leak on the external tank side of the external tank/orbiter {{cvt|43.2|cm}} quick disconnect umbilical. This could not be repaired at the pad and ''Atlantis'' was rolled back to the VAB on August 9, 1990, demated, then transferred to the [[Organization:Orbiter Processing Facility|Orbiter Processing Facility]] (OPF). During rollback, the vehicle remained parked outside the VAB for about a day while the ''Columbia''/STS-35 stack was transferred to the pad for launch. While outside, ''Atlantis'' suffered minor hail damage to its tiles during a thunderstorm. After repairs were made in the OPF, ''Atlantis'' was transferred to the VAB for mating on October 2, 1990. During hoisting operations, the platform beam that was to have been removed from the orbiter's aft compartment fell and caused minor damage, which was repaired. The vehicle rolled out to Pad A on October 12, 1990. The fourth mini-tanking test was performed on October 24, 1990, with no excessive hydrogen or oxygen leakage detected. During the [[Social:Design review (U.S. government)|Flight Readiness Review]] (FRR), the launch date was set for November 9, 1990. The launch was reset for November 15 due to payload problems. Liftoff occurred during a classified launch window lying within a launch period extending from 18:30 to 22:30 EST on November 15, 1990.

== Classified payload ==
According to ''Aviation Week'', the shuttle initially entered a {{cvt|204|km}} x {{cvt|519|km}} orbit at an [[Astronomy:Orbital inclination|inclination]] of 28.45° to the [[Astronomy:Equator|equator]]. It then executed three [[Engineering:Space Shuttle Orbital Maneuvering System|orbital maneuvering system]] (OMS) burns, the last on orbit #4. The first of these circularized the orbit at {{cvt|519|km}}.

The first classified payload was code-named USA-67,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1990-097B|publisher=NASA|id=1990-097B|title=USA-67|access-date=August 21, 2019|archive-date=August 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808100950/https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1990-097B|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> which was deployed from Atlantis' cargo bay on the seventh orbit and ignited its [[Engineering:Rocket engine|rocket motor]] at the ascending node of the eighth orbit to place it in a [[Astronomy:Geostationary transfer orbit|geostationary transfer orbit]] (GTO). ''Aviation Week'' reported that USA-67 was a secret [[Signals intelligence|ELINT]] gathering satellite headed for [[Astronomy:Geosynchronous orbit|geosynchronous orbit]] and launched to monitor the events during the first Gulf War in 1990. As a result of there being two upper stages aboard STS-38, USA-67 was originally believed to be a Magnum satellite like those  deployed on [[Engineering:STS-51-C|STS-51-C]] and [[Engineering:STS-33|STS-33]], which were launched via a two-stage [[Engineering:Inertial Upper Stage|Inertial Upper Stage]] (IUS).<ref name=UGO>{{cite web|last=Molczan|first=Ted|title=Unknown GEO Object 2000-653A / 90007 Identified as Prowler|url=http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/STS_38/Unknown_GEO_Object_2000-653A_-_90007_Identified_as_Prowler.pdf|publisher=Visual Satellite Observer's Home Page|access-date=February 25, 2011|date=January 21, 2011|archive-date=July 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727073610/http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/STS_38/Unknown_GEO_Object_2000-653A_-_90007_Identified_as_Prowler.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Today it is believed that USA-67 was instead a secret [[Engineering:Satellite Data System|Satellite Data System]] (SDS-2) [[Astronomy:Communications satellite|military communications satellite]], like those deployed on [[Engineering:STS-28|STS-28]] and [[Engineering:STS-53|STS-53]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=USA-67 observations' |url=http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Mar-2000/0378.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927203321/http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Mar-2000/0378.html |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |access-date=July 28, 2007 |website=Satobs.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=GEO SIGINT Satellite' |url=http://www.fas.org/spp/military/program/sigint/prowler.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227165818/http://www.fas.org/spp/military/program/sigint/prowler.htm |archive-date=December 27, 2007 |access-date=December 1, 2007 |website=FAS.org}}</ref>

It is also believed that USA-67 was not the only satellite deployed during STS-38. A publicly released image of ''Atlantis''' vertical stabilizer and upper aft bulkhead, similar to the one released from STS-53, confirms that the ASE (Airborne Support Equipment) for the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) was absent from this flight.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/QuickView.pl?directory=ISD&ID=STS038-84-23|title=The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth|publisher=Eol.jsc.nasa.gov|access-date=August 12, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225065551/http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/QuickView.pl?directory=ISD&ID=STS038-84-23|archive-date=February 25, 2012}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> An explanation is that two separate satellites were deployed, using single-stage [[Engineering:Payload Assist Module|Payload Assist Module]] (PAM-D). Rumors that appear to have been substantiated by the identification of an "unknown" geostationary satellite by amateur observers<ref>{{Cite web |last=Molczan |first=Ted |date=January 21, 2011 |title=Unknown GEO Object 2000-653A / 90007 Identified as Prowler |url=http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/STS_38/Unknown_GEO_Object_2000-653A_-_90007_Identified_as_Prowler.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727073610/http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/STS_38/Unknown_GEO_Object_2000-653A_-_90007_Identified_as_Prowler.pdf |archive-date=July 27, 2011 |access-date=July 6, 2011 |website=satobs.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Molczan |first=Ted |date=February 19, 2011 |title=Evaluation of the opportunity to launch Prowler on STS-38 |url=http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/STS_38/Evaluation_of_the_Opportunity_to_Launch_Prowler_on_STS_38.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727073723/http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/STS_38/Evaluation_of_the_Opportunity_to_Launch_Prowler_on_STS_38.pdf |archive-date=July 27, 2011 |access-date=July 6, 2011 |website=satobs.org}}</ref> insist that the second payload was a stealth satellite known as Prowler, reportedly intended to covertly inspect other nation's geostationary satellites.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Windrem |first=Robert |title=What is America's top-secret spy program? |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna6687654 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915010512/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna6687654 |archive-date=September 15, 2023 |access-date=November 17, 2019 |website=NBC News|date=December 9, 2004 }}</ref>

== Landing ==
The mission was extended by one day due to unacceptable crosswinds at the planned landing site of [[Organization:Edwards Air Force Base|Edwards Air Force Base]]. Continued adverse conditions led to a decision to shift the landing to the [[Organization:Shuttle Landing Facility|Shuttle Landing Facility]] (SLF) at the Kennedy Space Center.<ref name="MSE report">{{Cite report |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19920011936/downloads/19920011936.pdf |title=Mission safety evaluation report for STS-38, postflight edition |last=Hill |first=William C. |last2=Finkel |first2=Seymour I. |date=1990-12-21 |publisher=NASA |access-date=2025-11-15}}</ref> The SLF had not been used by a returning shuttle mission in five years, since [[Engineering:STS-51-D|STS-51-D]] when ''Discovery'' suffered extensive brake damage and a ruptured tire during landing. Landing occurred on November 20, 1990, at 21:42:46{{nbsp}}UTC (4:42:42{{nbsp}}pm{{nbsp}}EST, local time). The orbiter rolled down Runway 33 for {{cvt|2753|m}} and 57 seconds. STS-38 marked the first KSC landing for ''Atlantis'', weighing {{cvt|86677|kg}} at landing.<ref name="STS-38">{{cite web|url=https://historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCHistoryPortal/history/reference/TM-2011-216142.pdf|title=Space Shuttle Missions Summary|page=2-41|publisher=NASA|date=September 2011|access-date=January 31, 2022|archive-date=February 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203174030/https://historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCHistoryPortal/history/reference/TM-2011-216142.pdf|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:1990 s35-s38 Passing in the Night.jpg|''Atlantis'' (right) and ''Columbia'' pass
File:ISD highres STS038 STS038-76-68.jpg|Sunlight on the ocean
File:STS-38 shuttle.jpg|Launch of STS-38
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Astronomy:List of human spaceflights|List of human spaceflights]]
* [[Engineering:List of Space Shuttle missions|List of Space Shuttle missions]]
* Militarization of space

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-38/mission-sts-38.html NASA mission summary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527215443/http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-38/mission-sts-38.html |date=May 27, 2010 }}
* [http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/shuttle37.htm STS-38 Video Highlights] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715073213/http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/shuttle37.htm |date=July 15, 2014 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20020415043610/http://www.astronautix.com/flights/sts38.htm Astronatix: ''STS-38'']

{{Space Shuttle Atlantis}}
{{All U.S. Space Shuttle Missions}}
{{Orbital launches in 1990}}

[[Category:Space Shuttle missions]]

{{Sourceattribution|STS-38}}