Mission STS-77
Mission description
Text version
Marc Garneau's patch commemorates Canada's participation in Space Shuttle Mission STS-77. It features Space Shuttle Endeavour flying at night over an ocean that reflects a Canadian maple leaf moon.
Endeavour is depicted in its Spartan release poise. Marc Garneau retrieved the satellite with the Canadarm. Lights in the payload bay and cabin illuminate the Spacehab payloads, the Canadarm, and the Spartan satellite. Canadian experiments NANO-GAS and ACTORS are illustrated by blue dots in the cargo bay.
The white dots in the ocean represent crystalline molecules assembling themselves into a pattern similar to the CFZF logo. The star in the ocean is a starfish, representing an onboard Canadian experiment.
The green airglow and auroras extend above the horizon, evoking sailing vessels, a tribute to Garneau's naval experience.
Two silver and three white stars represent the total number of Canadian spaceflights thus far, including Marc Garneau's two missions.
Patch STS-77. (Credit: Canadian Space Agency)
Launch
Date:
Time: 06:30:00 a.m. (ET)
Site: Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Landing
Date:
Time: 7:09:18 a.m. (ET)
Site: Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Mission duration: 10 days
Orbiter vehicle: Endeavour
Payloads: Commercial Float Zone Furnace, Aquatic Research Facility, Nanocrystal Get Away Special, Atlantic Canada Thin Organic Semiconductors, Spacehab-4, Spartan 207/Inflatable Antenna Experiment, Technology Experiments Advancing Missions in Space, Brilliant Eyes Ten-Kelvin Sorption Crycooler Experiment, Gas Bridge Assembly, Get-Away Special Canisters, Reduced-Fill Tank Pressure Control Experiment.
Canadian talent and expertise figured prominently on Shuttle Mission STS-77. It was the second space flight of Canadian Space Agency astronaut Marc Garneau. As well, several Canadian scientific experiments were conducted aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour: the Commercial Float Zone Furnace (CFZF), the Aquatic Research Facility, the Nanocrystal Get Away Special (NANO-GAS) and the Atlantic Canada thin organic semiconductor (ACTORS). On orbit, Marc Garneau was responsible for the CFZF.
Spartan, a scientific satellite offering a simple, reusable and relatively low-cost method of collecting valuable scientific data, was deployed and retrieved by Marc Garneau using the Canadarm.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield was a capcom (capsule communicator) for the mission.
Mission STS-77 crew
From left to right. Daniel W. Bursch, Curtis L. Brown, Mario Runco, Marc Garneau, John H. Casper and Andrew S.W. Thomas. (Credit: NASA)