STS-45

Mission Profile

Overview

STS-45 carried ATLAS-1, the first flight of the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science, a pallet of twelve instruments from the U.S., Europe and Japan that studied atmospheric chemistry, solar radiation, space plasma physics and ultraviolet astronomy. The human highlight was payload specialist Dirk Frimout, who became the first Belgian citizen in space. A solar physicist by training, Frimout joined the science team operating the instruments around the clock from Atlantis's middeck and Spacelab control area. The crew, commanded by Charles Bolden, ran a continuous campaign tracking how the Sun drives Earth's upper atmosphere, contributing to ozone and climate research. After a one-day weather and tanking delay, the mission was extended an extra day in orbit to gather more data, completing 143 orbits before landing back at Kennedy Space Center.

Crew

Key Milestones

1. 1992-03-23

   First launch attempt scrubbed over excess hydrogen and oxygen in the aft compartment

2. 1992-03-24

   Atlantis launches with ATLAS-1; Dirk Frimout becomes the first Belgian in space

3. 1992-03-31

   Mission extended one day to continue atmospheric and solar observations

4. 1992-04-02

   Atlantis lands at Kennedy Space Center, Runway 33

Key Achievements

• First Belgian citizen in space (Dirk Frimout)

• First flight of the ATLAS-1 atmospheric and solar science laboratory

• Twelve instruments from the U.S., Europe and Japan studied the Sun-Earth atmospheric connection

• Mission extended an extra day in orbit for additional science

Related Missions

Sources

1. NASA – STS-45 mission archive
2. Dirk Frimout – His Flight (STS-45)
3. Wikipedia – STS-45