Michael J. Smith

American - (NASA)

Lost In Flight

Date of Birth: April 30, 1945
Date of Death: Jan. 28, 1986

Michael John Smith was an American astronaut—pilot of the Space Shuttle Challenger when it was destroyed during the STS-51-L mission. All seven crew members died.

Spaceflight Record

Michael J. Smith flew on one previous launch(es).

Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099 | STS-51-L

National Aeronautics and Space Administration | United States of America
Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
Jan. 28, 1986, 4:38 p.m.

Status: Failure

Mission:

The tenth mission for Challenger, STS-51-L was scheduled to deploy the second in a series of Tracking and Data Relay Satellites, carry out the first flight of the Shuttle-Pointed Tool for Astronomy (SPARTAN-203) / Halley's Comet Experiment Deployable in order to observe Halley's Comet, and carry out several lessons from space as part of the Teacher in Space Project and Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP).

Low Earth Orbit

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Administrator: Bill Nelson

The 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.

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