The OSTA-1 mission - Overview of the goals, mission parameters and instrumentation for the first Shuttle scientific payload

Aspects of the second Space Shuttle flight, which carried the first payload of scientific instruments for remote sensing of the earth's atmosphere, oceans, and land areas, are discussed. The development and integration of the payload, the mission simulations and end-to-end testing, the launch, the payload mission operations, the landing, data removal, and payload removal, the scientific results, and some planned experiments using the Shuttle are addressed. Summaries of the experimental results are presented, including those for the imaging radar, infrared radiometer, ocean color experiment, air pollution measurements, feature identification and location experiment, night/day optical lightning survey, and bioengineering test. The availability of data and science reports is also covered.