Edwin Jacob "Jake" Garn (born October 12, 1932) is an American astronaut and politician, a member of the Republican Party, who served as a U.S. Senator representing Utah from 1974 to 1993. Garn became the first sitting member of the United States Congress to fly in space when he flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery as a Payload Specialist during NASA mission STS-51-D (April 12–19, 1985).
STS-51-D was the sixteenth flight of the shuttle and fourth for the Space Shuttle Discovery. Its mission was to deploy a number of 10 satellites. The landing suffered extensive brake damaged and a ruptured tire. All subsequent landings had to be done at the Edwards Air Force Base until the development and implementation of nose steering.
Low Earth OrbitThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.