STS-51A | Discovery | KSP Cinematic

STS-51A (Formally STS-19) was the fourteenth flight of the Space Shuttle Program also known as the Space Transportation System (STS) As well as the second flight of NASA's third Orbiter: Discovery (OV-103) and the fifth Shuttle flight of the year 1984.


Crew of STS-51A:
Commander: Frederick H. Hauck
Pilot: David M. Walker
Mission Specialist-1: Joseph P. Allen, IV
Mission Specialist-2: Anna Lee Fisher
Mission Specialist-3: Dale A. Gardner


Discovery launched one her second launch on November 8, 1984 at 8:15 EDT from Launch Complex-39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Eight and a half minutes after liftoff Discovery and her crew reached orbit.

The objectives of STS-51A was to deploy to communication satellites from Discovery's payload bay: Anik-D2 and Syncom-IV1 on flight days two and three. After deploy the two satellites would used their kick motors to propel them into their geostationary orbits.

Another objective was to retire and return two stranded satellites: Westar-VI and Palapa-B2 which we're launched on Shuttle: Challenger (OV-099) on STS-41B in February of the same year, during the kick motor burns on both satellites faulty components caused them to splutter out, causing the motors to shut down earlier than expected. the owners of the two satellites claimed the insurance of the tow satellites and the insurance company commission NASA to return them to Earth so they can be resold and re launched.

On flight day Five Discovery rendezvous with Palapa B2 and Mission Specialists Joseph Allen and Dale Gardner went on the first of two Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA) also know as a spacewalks to retrieve satellites. Allan used the Man Maneuvering Unit (MMU) to go out untethered from the Orbiter and used the Apogee Kick Motor Capture Device nicknamed the "Stinger" to capture Palapa and using his power with the MMU moved it towards the payload bay where it was grappled by Anna Lee Fisher who was operating Discovery's Remote Manipulator System also known as the Canadarm and using that lowered it in the payload bay then Allan and Gardner attached an adapter which would secure Palapa B2 to the payload bay, the first EVA lasted 6 hours.

On flight day 2 the same process was done with Westar-IV but this time Dale Gardner was in the MMU and Joseph Allan was on the Robotic arm and at the end of the EVA after successfully securing both satellites, the duo held up a "For Sale" sign as a little joke to the insurance companies to tell their ready to be resold.

After a extreamly successful mission Discovery and her crew returned home and made a soft landing at Runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center' Shuttle Landing Facility, completing 126 orbits and lasted 7 days, 23 hours and 45 minutes.

Palapa B2 and Westar-VI were in fact resold and relaunched, Palapa B2 was bought back by Indonesia and launched as Palapa-B2R onboard a Delta 6952-8 on April 13, 1990. Westar VI was sold and relaunched as AisaSat-1 onboard a Long March 3 on April 7, 1990, this time both we're successful.

Shout Outs:

Inspired by: The Ultimate Shuttle Mission - STS-51A by Raiz Space

Raiz's Channel: youtube.com/channel/UCeHM...
His STS-51A video: youtube.com/watch?v=2QFrq...


Special Thank you as well to LunarModule5 for helping me out with finding the actual mission audio

LM5's channel: youtube.com/user/lunarmod...


Thank you to David Willis, Aiden22theastronaut, Douglas Geo, Lily Ride, Steven Tylor, TheSpaceGoose and Grant for helping out with voice work for the prologue scene and helping me out with getting some mods to work!

David's Channel:youtube.com/c/DavidWillisSLS
Lily's Channel: youtube.com/channel/UCqy1...
Grant's Channel: youtube.com/channel/UCjVU...



Shuttle Missions Playlist:
youtube.com/playlist?list...

Lockheed Martin: X-33 | KSP Cinematic:
   • Lockheed Martin X-33 - KSP Cinematic  


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Channel Intro (0:00)
STS-41B (0:21)
Crew Egress (6:49)
STS-51A Launch (12:30)
On Orbit (15:46)
Anik D2 Deploy (20:49)
Syncom IV-1 Deploy (23:30)
Palapa B2 Recovery (25:28)
Westar VI Recovery (30:15)
President Phone Call (34:23)
Deorbit and Reentry (35:42)
Landing (38:12)
Epilogue (40:41)
Credits (42:26)