 The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) deployment | |
| Names | Space Transportation System-48 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | UARS satellite deployment |
| Operator | NASA |
| COSPAR ID | 1991-063A |
| SATCAT no. | 21700 |
| Mission duration | 5 days, 8 hours, 27 minutes, 38 seconds |
| Distance travelled | 3,530,369 km (2,193,670 mi) |
| Orbits completed | 81 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Space Shuttle Discovery |
| Launch mass | 108,890 kg (240,060 lb) |
| Landing mass | 87,440 kg (192,770 lb) |
| Payload mass | 7,865 kg (17,339 lb) |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 5 |
| Members | |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | September 12, 1991, 23:11:04 UTC (7:11:04 pm EDT) |
| Launch site | Kennedy, LC-39A |
| Contractor | Rockwell International |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | September 18, 1991, 07:38:42 UTC (12:38:42 am PDT) |
| Landing site | Edwards, Runway 22 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 575 km (357 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 580 km (360 mi) |
| Inclination | 57.00° |
| Period | 96.20 minutes |
| Instruments | |
| |
 STS-48 mission patch  Back row; Charles D. Gemar, James Buchli Front row: Mark N. Brown, John Oliver Creighton, Kenneth S. Reightler Jr. | |
STS-48 was a Space Shuttle mission that launched on September 12, 1991, from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The orbiter was Space Shuttle Discovery on her 13th flight. The primary payload was the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). The mission landed on September 18 at 12:38 a.m. EDT at Edwards Air Force Base on runway 22. The mission was completed in 81 revolutions of the Earth and traveled 3,530,369 km (2,193,670 mi). The 5 astronauts carried out a number of experiments and deployed several satellites. The total launch mass was 108,890 kg (240,060 lb) and the landing mass was 87,440 kg (192,770 lb).