Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Color Photo by NASA
This postcard is of Mission STS-51-A.
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STS-51-A launched on November 8, 1984 and marked the first time a shuttle deployed two communications satellites, and retrieved from orbit two other communications satellites. The Canadian Anik D2 and Syncom IV-1 satellites were both successfully deployed by the crew of Discovery. Palapa B2 and Westar 6, meanwhile, had been deployed during the STS-41-B mission earlier in the year, but had been placed into improper orbits due to the malfunctioning of their kick motors (hence, the for sale signs); they were both safely recovered and returned to Earth during STS-51-A.
