Space Shuttle Discovery - STS-51-C Launch and Landing

On this day in 1985.

[StephenLuke]

I salute Loren Shriver, Ellison Onizuka, James Buchli, and Gary Payton on their first space shuttle mission! 🫡❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

This was Ken Mattingly’s third and final time in space and his second and final space shuttle mission.

Ellison Onizuka happens to be the first Asian American and the first person of Japanese origin to fly into space. 🇯🇵🇺🇸

[AluminumOxide]

First dedicated DoD mission, also captured on IMAX in the 1985 documentary "the dream is alive"