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Endeavour captures roving satellite
May 21, 1996
Web posted at: 1:15 p.m. EDTSPACE CENTER, Houston (CNN) -- After pursuing a roaming satellite, astronauts delicately maneuvered space shuttle Endeavour within 400 feet of it Tuesday and retrieved it with a robot arm.
The 2,000-pound Spartan satellite was released by the shuttle's six-man crew on Monday to test a huge inflatable antenna; they had planned to recapture it. (800K QuickTime movie)
As Commander John Casper steered Endeavour close to the satellite, Canadian astronaut Marc Garneau began the process of grabbing it and reeling it in.
"Congratulations, Marc. Nice job," Mission Control told Garneau. The satellite was brought back into the cargo bay for the trip back to Earth.
The satellite served as a platform for the experimental antenna, which expanded to the size of a tennis court after being filled with nitrogen. It resembled a parachute with a flat top.
Tiny explosives set off by a timer severed the silvery antenna from the satellite about an hour after it was released. The giant orbiting balloon was expected to plummet through the atmosphere and burn up Tuesday afternoon.
The satellite flew more than 20 miles away from the shuttle before astronauts could catch up to it. Spartan contains all the instruments and data for the $14 million antenna experiment.
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It also holds vital information on whether the antenna inflated to its fullest capacity. Scientists won't know for sure until the shuttle returns next week with the satellite.
NASA unleashed the antenna to test the viability of using inflatable space equipment such as antennas, sun shades and solar collectors. They are cheaper, lighter and easier to assemble than traditional space devices.
However, there was a glitch with the Mylar antenna. After being launched, it rotated more than scientists expected. Such erratic motion, scientists said, will have to be eliminated before other spacecrafts can be equipped with inflatable antennas.
The 10-day mission is to end May 29 with a landing in Florida.
On Wednesday, astronauts will release an 80-pound, cast aluminum satellite to study its stability. In addition, astronauts are conducting numerous scientific experiments in a shuttle laboratory.
Correspondent John Holliman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Endeavour unfurls giant antenna - May 20, 1996
- Endeavour launch a success - May 18, 1996
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