ESA NASA Spacelab 1 Embroidered Patch

STS-9 (also known as STS-41A and Spacelab 1) was a NASA Space Shuttle mission which launched on 28 November 1983 and landed ten days later on 8 December. The mission carried the first Spacelab module into orbit to conduct space-based scientific experiments. It was the sixth mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia, and was Columbia's last flight until STS-61-C in January 1986.

It was also the last time the old STS numbering was used until STS-26 (in the aftermath of the Challenger disaster of STS-51-L). Under the new system, STS-9 would have been designated as STS-41-A.

Spacelab 1 on orbit, the European purpose-built laboratory is shown inside the cargo bay of Space Shuttle Columbia. The Spacelab 1 mission was launched on 28 November 1983 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. On board was German astronaut Ulf Merbold, the first ESA astronaut in space.

Credits: NASA

STS-9 Mission data:

Mission: Orbital Laboratory and Observations Platform/First Spacelab Mission
First Rollback/First 6 Crew Member Flight
Space Shuttle: Columbia
Launch Pad: 39A
Launch Weight: 247,619 pounds
Launched: November 28, 1983 at 11:00:00 a.m. EST
Landing Site: Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
Landing: December 8, 1983 at 3:47:24 a.m. PST
Landing Weight: 220,027 pounds
Runway: 17
Rollout Distance: 8,456 feet
Rollout Time: 53 seconds
Revolution: 167
Mission Duration: 10 days, 7 hours, 47 minutes and 24 seconds
Returned to KSC: December 15, 1983
Orbit Altitude: 155 nautical miles
Orbit Inclination: 57 degrees
Miles Traveled: 4.3 million