Allen, Joseph P.

Description

Autograph ID: 3060
Condition: Very good
Description: “(B. 1937) NASA astronaut. Research associate in Nuclear Physics Laboratory at Univ. of Washington prior to selection as a scientist-astronaut in Aug. 1967, in 2nd group of scientist-astronauts. Mission specialist on STS-5, 1st fully operational flight of the Shuttle Transportation System, launched Nov. 11, 1982, with Vance Brand (spacecraft commander), Robert Overmyer (pilot), and Dr. William Lenoir (mission specialist). STS5, 1st mission with 4 crewmembers, clearly demonstrated Space Shuttle as fully operational by successful 1st deployment of 2 commercial communications satellites from Orbiter’s payload bay. Mission marked 1st use of Payload Assist Module (PAM-D) and its new ejection system. STS-5 crew successfully concluded 5-day orbital flight of Space Shuttle Columbia landing through cloud deck to hard-surface runway with maximum braking at Edwards AFB, Cal., Nov. 16, 1982 after 81 Earth orbits in 122 hours. Allen was mission specialist on STS51A, launched from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Nov. 8, 1984, with Capt. Rick Hauck (spacecraft commander), Capt. David Walker (pilot), and fellow mission specialists Dr. Anna L. Fisher and Commander Dale Gardner. This was the 2nd flight of Discovery. Crew deployed 2 satellites, Canada’s Anik D-2 (Telesat H) and Hughes’ LEASAT-1 (Syncom IV-1), and operated 3M Company’s Diffusive Mixing of Organic Solutions experiment. In 1st space salvage attempt in history, crew successfully retrieved for return to Earth the Palapa B-2 and Westar VI communications satellites. STS 51-A completed 127 orbits of the Earth in 192 hours before landing at Kennedy Space Center Nov. 16, 1984. With the completion of this flight Allen logged total of 314 hours in space.

10 x 8 color NASA SP in spacesuit, hands on lunar globe.”
Type: Photograph