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Russell Space Team logo designed by Lisa Thomassie.
STS-2 Mission Patch designed by John L. 
STS-2
April 29-30, 1999
 STS-2 Mission Patch designed by John L.

STS-2 Photo Album

The 48 members of the 1999 Russell Space Team were eager to continue building on the foundation laid by their STS-1 predecessors. The young people of STS-2 represented some of Russell's very best and their enthusiasm continued to grow as they moved through the long months of training and preparation. What an inspiration they were to the teachers, students, parents, and community!

STS-2 saw the debut of many new technologies and refinements to the Russell Space Center including the SIMple telemetry simulation software, MacSPOC and MacMECO software, and the new SpaceLab module. Two additional Mission Specialist positions were added to the Astronaut Crew and our Teacher In Space was Miss Tracey Steiner from the Kindergarten Family.

During the mission the team had only a few minor glitches. The onboard WebCam had to be re-installed and the software reloaded and configured. This was a long task that finally resulted in a successful Internet image transmission around 8 PM on the first night of the mission. At around 11 PM two GPCs shutdown, but were successfully restarted.

Things were looking very shaky for a Friday morning Kennedy Space Center landing as heavy fog was covering Cape Canaveral. Plans were underway for a "wave off" and a rewrite of the flight plan with the next available landing some 24 hours later. Things cleared up at Kennedy Space Center and a nominal landing turned out to be relatively easy matter.

  • Launch: April 29, 1999 10:30 EDT
  • Landing: April 30, 1999 12:50 EDT
Time in Simulator: 27 hours 20 minutes
Honors and Recognition:
  • Broadcast of the mission live over PEACH Radio 94.9 intermittentently for the duration of the mission.
  • Radio interviews on WGST and PEACH Radio 94.9
  • Recognition on FOX-Atlanta News
  • Letters of recognition from Homer Hickam, US Representative Bob Barr, Governor Zell Miller, and State School Superintendent Linda Schrenko.
  • Attendees included: Big John Wetherbee, Guest Meteorology Assistant, Dr. Earl Holliday, Cobb County Schools Assistant Superintendent, Cynthia Arterbery, Tricia Mingledorff, and Cybil Parr, Cobb County Schools Elementary School Coordinators, and Dr. Teresa Plenge, Cobb County Board of Education
  

Patrick M. mans the Flight Director's console.

Godspeed to the STS-2 Space Team as you pursue your hopes and dreams in life!

Mission Patch

A space shuttle with SRBs and ET still attached and flying over the Earth horizon in the light of a rising sun. The constellation Orion is visible between the sun's rays as is a red apple.

The STS-2 Mission Patch was chosen by a vote of the Space Team out of about a dozen submitted designs. The patch was the creation of John Lindsey who wrote the following description of the symbolism used in the design.

"The rising sun represents a new mission for the further space discovery. The constellation Orion represents bravery for the mission. The space shuttle in the patch is the Star Sailor 1. The apple next to Ms. Steiner's name shows that she is a teacher. The Sun is shining on the six astronauts that are going to fly the mission."

Jason and Erin on the Flight Deck.

 
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Russell Space Center
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