STS-103

STS-103
Grunsfeld and Smith replacing gyroscopes on Hubble during the mission's first EVA
NamesSpace Transportation System-103
Mission typeHubble Space Telescope servicing
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID1999-069A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.25996
Mission duration7 days, 23 hours, 11 minutes 34 seconds
Distance travelled5,230,000 kilometres (3,250,000 mi)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftSpace Shuttle Discovery
Launch mass112,493 kilograms (248,005 lb)
Landing mass95,768 kilograms (211,132 lb)
Crew
Crew size7
Members
EVAs3
EVA duration24 hours, 33 minutes
Start of mission
Launch date20 December 1999 00:50:00 (1999-12-20UTC00:50Z) UTC
Launch siteKennedy, LC-39B
End of mission
Landing date28 December 1999 00:01:34 (1999-12-28UTC00:01:35Z) UTC
Landing siteKennedy, SLF Runway 33
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude563 kilometres (350 mi)
Apogee altitude609 kilometres (378 mi)
Inclination28.45 degrees
Period96.4 minutes
Capture of Hubble
RMS capture22 December 1999, 00:34 UTC[1]
RMS release25 December 1999, 11:03 UTC[2]

Left to right; C. Michael Foale, Claude Nicollier, Scott J. Kelly, Curtis L. Brown Jr., Jean-Francois Clervoy, John M. Grunsfeld and Steven L. Smith
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STS-99 (97) →

STS-103, the 96th launch of the Space Shuttle and the 27th launch of Space Shuttle Discovery, was a Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. It launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 19 December 1999 and returned on 27 December 1999 and was the last Shuttle mission of the 1990s. It was the only mission to span through Christmas after being delayed by 13 days for technical and weather reasons.

  1. ^ NASA (21 December 1999). "STS-103, Mission Control Center Status Report #05". Johnson Space Center Mission Status Reports. Houston, TX. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  2. ^ NASA (26 December 1999). "STS-103, Mission Control Center Status Report #14". Johnson Space Center Mission Status Reports. Houston, TX. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.