1984: STS-41C Challenger (NASA)

STS-41-C was the 11th space shuttle mission and the fifth for Challenger.

Liftoff took place on 6 April 1984. It marked the first direct ascent trajectory for the Shuttle which reached its 288 nautical miles (533 km) high orbit using the Orbiter Maneuvering System engines only once - to circularise its orbit.

The flight had two primary objectives. The first was to deploy the huge Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), a passive, retrievable, 21,300 lb (9,660 kg), 12-sided cylinder, 14 feet (4.3 m) in diameter and 30 feet (9 m) long carrying 57 experiments. The second objective was to capture, repair and redeploy the malfunctioning Solar Maximum Mission satellite -- "Solar Max" -- launched in 1980.

The five-man crew included Robert L. Crippen, commander, on his third Shuttle flight; pilot Francis R. Scobee; and mission specialists, James D. A. van Hoften, Terry J. Hart and George D. Nelson.

The mission ended on 13 April 1984 with Challenger landing on Runway 17, at Edwards AFB. It had completed 108 orbits.