STS-30

Lore & Background

The launch was originally scheduled for April 28, 1989, but was scrubbed at T−31 seconds due to a liquid hydrogen recirculation pump problem and a vapor leak. It launched on May 4, 1989, after a delay caused by cloud cover and crosswinds. During the flight, one of four general-purpose computers failed on May 6 and was replaced in orbit. Minor issues included a stuck camera shutter, a paper jam in the Text and Graphics Systems, and a malfunctioning water dispenser.

Reader's Guide

STS-30 marked a significant step in NASA's return to flight after the Challenger disaster, being the fourth shuttle launch since that event and the first to include a female astronaut. Its primary achievement was the successful deployment of the Magellan spacecraft, the first American planetary mission in 11 years, which arrived at Venus in August 1990 and mapped the planet's surface with radar. The mission also demonstrated in-orbit computer replacement, a capability that enhanced shuttle redundancy. The flight's designation as STS-30R reflected a documentation conflict with earlier missions, highlighting the administrative complexities of the shuttle program. Overall, STS-30 advanced both planetary science and shuttle operational experience.

Did You Know?

• STS-30 was the fourth shuttle mission since the Challenger disaster.
• The mission deployed the Magellan probe, the first American planetary mission in 11 years.
• A general-purpose computer was replaced in orbit during STS-30, but the first such replacement occurred on STS-9.