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STS 51-A

        Less than a month after the 41-G flight, the 14th Space Shuttle
mission and the second for Discovery, STS 51-A was launched at 7:15
a.m. EST, Nov. 8, 1984.  A launch attempt the day before was scrubbed
at the T minus 20-minute built-in hold because of high shear winds in
the upper atmosphere.

        The five-person flight crew consisted of Frederick H. Hauck,
commander, on his second flight; pilot David M. Walker; and three
mission specialists -- Anna L. Fisher, Dale A. Gardner and Joseph P.
Allen.  Both Gardner and Allen were making their second Shuttle
flights.

        This mission was unique in that it marked the first time the Shuttle
had deployed two communications satellites and then went about
retrieving from orbit two other communications satellites.  B-2 and 6
had been deployed during the STS 41-B mission earlier in the year and
had been placed into improper orbits because their kick motors
malfunctioned.

        The two communications satellites successfully deployed were the
Canadian Anik D2 -- on the second day of the mission -- and IV-l,
also known as Leasat l, on the third day.

        The orbiter then began a series of maneuvers to meet up with the
first of the two satellites to be recovered, PALAPA B-2.  (The orbits
of both satellites had been lowered by ground commands from about 600
mile to 210 mile to facilitate recovery operations.)  On day five,
the Discovery rendezvoused with PALAPA.  Mission specialists Allen
and Gardner performed an EVA, capturing the satellite with a device
known as a "Stinger," which was inserted into the apogee motor nozzle
by Allen.  The satellite's rotation was slowed to 1 RPM and Fisher,
operating from a position on the end of the RMS, attempted
unsuccessfully to grapple the satellite.  However, was not lost,
because Allen was able manually to maneuver the satellite into its
cradle with Gardner's help and aided by the RMS which was operated by
Fisher.  The successful, improvised rescue effort took two hours.

        The recovery of Westar 6 was not as difficult and took place a day
later.  This time Gardner, using the same muscle power technique
Allen had used for the rescue, captured the satellite.  With Allen's
help, he placed it in a cradle in the cargo bay.

        The STS 51-A mission also carried the Diffused Mixing of Organic
Solutions (DMOS) experiment.  It was the first of a series of
comprehensive organic and polymer science experiments sponsored by
the 3M Corp.  This middeck experiment was successful and the
proprietary results of the chemical mixes were turned over to 3M.
One other experiment, the radiation monitoring experiment, was also
performed.

        This second Discovery mission ended at 7 a.m. EST, Nov. 16, with
landing on Runway 33, at KSC, after a 7-day, 23-hour, 45-minute
flight, which covered 3.3 million miles during 126 complete orbits.
It was the third Shuttle landing at KSC and the fifth and last
Shuttle mission of 1984.