STS-6

STS-6

Maiden launch of Challenger, April 4, 1983
Names	Space Transportation System-6
Mission type	TDRS-A satellite deployment
Operator	NASA
COSPAR ID	1983-026A
SATCAT no.	13968
Mission duration	5 days, 23 minutes, 42 seconds (achieved)
Distance travelled	3,370,437 km (2,094,292 mi)
Orbits completed	81
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Challenger
Launch mass	116,457 kg (256,744 lb)
Landing mass	86,330 kg (190,330 lb)
Payload mass	21,305 kg (46,969 lb)
Crew
Crew size	4
Members	Paul J. Weitz Karol J. Bobko Story Musgrave Donald H. Peterson
EVAs	1
EVA duration	4 hours, 17 minutes
Start of mission
Launch date	April 4, 1983, 18:30:00 UTC
Rocket	Space Shuttle Challenger
Launch site	Kennedy Space Center, LC-39A
Contractor	Rockwell International
End of mission
Landing date	April 9, 1983, 18:53:42 UTC
Landing site	Edwards Air Force Base, Runway 22
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit[1]
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude	288 km (179 mi)
Apogee altitude	295 km (183 mi)
Inclination	28.50°
Period	90.40 minutes
STS-6 mission patch Peterson, Weitz, Musgrave, Bobko Space Shuttle program ← STS-5 STS-7 →

STS-6 was the sixth NASA Space Shuttle mission and the maiden flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 4, 1983, the mission deployed the first Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-1, into orbit, before landing at Edwards Air Force Base on April 9, 1983. STS-6 was the first Space Shuttle mission during which a Extravehicular activity was conducted, and hence was the first in which the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) was used.