09/03/2026
August 30 - on this day in 1984, Space Shuttle Discovery took to the skies for the very first time, launchung from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for its inaugural mission, STS-41-D.
The orbiter had a six-member crew: Commander Henry Hartsfield, Pilot Michael Coats, Mission Specialists, Mike Mullane, Steven Hawley, and Judith Resnik, as well as Payload Specialist, Charles Walker.
The main purpose of this flight was the deployment of three commercial communications satellites: SBS-4, Telstar 302 and Syncom IV-2.
