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Launch SuccessfulRockwell International

Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099: STS-8

STS-8 was the third mission of Space Shuttle Challenger. It deployed an Indian 10 and Weather satellite. It was the first night launch and night landing of the Shuttle program. It also carried the first African-American astronaut; Guion Bluford.

Tuesday, 30 August 1983
Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099: STS-8

Mission Data

Launch VehicleSpace Shuttle
Vehicle Record133 of 135 launches (98.5%)
Launch Provider🇺🇸 Rockwell International
Provider TypeCommercial
Agency Record8 successes / 0 failures (100%)
Success Streak8 consecutive
ProgramSpace Shuttle · Human Spaceflight
Mission TypeCommunications
Target OrbitLow Earth Orbit
Launch PadLaunch Complex 39A
Location🇺🇸 Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA USA
Orbital Launches This Year#90
Agency Launches This Year#3
Launches From This Pad224
Launches From This Site283
Status Note

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

About Space Shuttle

The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program name was Space Transportation System (STS). Five complete Space Shuttle orbiter vehicles were built and flown on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011.

Launch Site

Launch Complex 39A · 28.6082°N 80.6043°W

Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.