May 4 1989
From The Space Library
May 4-8: The Space Shuttle Atlantis was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on mission STS-30, whose main objective was to deploy the $550 million Magellan Venus radar mapper. Magellan, the first United States interplanetary mission to be launched in 11 years, was deployed from the cargo bay of Atlantis 6 hours after launch and was subsequently propelled toward the Sun and Venus by a solid fuel Inertial Upper Stage (INERTIAL UPPER STAGE). Following the INERTIAL UPPER STAGE firing, ground controllers confirmed that the spacecraft was operating normally and was on a proper course toward Venus. Upon arriving at Venus in August 1990, the 7,700-pound Magellan would enter Venusian orbit for several months of extensive radar mapping of the planet's cloud shrouded surface. Atlantis landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on May 8. (NASA MOR, C-600-89-30, E-199-89-30; NASA PFOR, M-989-89-30; SSR 1989 033A-B; UPI, May 5/89; NY Times, May 5/89;W Post, May 5/89; WSJ, May 5/89; P Inq, May 5/89; B Sun, May 5/89; W Times, May 5/89; USA Today, May 5/89)
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