STS-78 Flight Day 1

Abstract

On this first day of the STS-78 mission, the flight crew, Cmdr. Terence T. Henricks, Pilot Kevin R. Kregel, Payload Cmdr. Susan J. Helms, Mission Specialists Richard M. Linnehan, Charles E. Brady, Jr., and Payload Specialists Jean-Jacques Favier, Ph.D. and Robert B. Thirsk, M.D., can be seen preforming pre-launch activities such as eating the traditional breakfast, crew suit-up, and the ride out to the launch pad. Also included are various panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad. The crew can be seen being readied in the white room for their mission. After the closing of the hatch and arm retraction, launch activities are shown including countdown, engine ignition, launch, and the separation of the Solid Rocket Boosters. Henricks shares a unique view of Columbia's climb to orbit with flight controllers from a small camera that was mounted on the flight deck. The video follows Columbia's flight from just before main engine start through main engine cutoff, showing the force of main engine and solid booster ignition as experienced by the astronauts.