41 Shuttle Missions Scheduled
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration released an ambitious shuttle launch schedule Friday of 41 missions in 33 months, including a flight by an American schoolteacher next January and trips by astronauts from nine foreign countries.
The manifest lists nine more flights this year, 15 in 1986 and 17 in 1987. The parade starts with two launchings this month, with Discovery set for liftoff Friday with Sen. Jake Garn (R-Utah) in its seven-person crew, and Challenger due to take off April 29.
The first shuttle launch from a new site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., is now set for March 20, 1986, a delay from an earlier announced date of Jan. 29.
Five of the flights will be Defense Department missions to carry secret payloads.
Of the 66 non-military payloads, 30 are communications satellites, 19 are scientific, 14 are for technology research and three involve a European-built laboratory called Spacelab.
President Reagan announced last August that the first to fly in NASA’s “citizen for space” program would be an elementary or secondary schoolteacher. A total of 10,690 teachers applied.
Those nominees will attend a workshop and orientation program in Washington in June. A national review board will recommend 10 finalists.
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