STS-78

space shuttle mission

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July 18, 2026

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STS-78 was a space shuttle mission that flew aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia from June 20 to July 7, 1996. The primary objective of STS-78 was to conduct the Life and Microgravity Spacelab experiment, which focused on studying the biological effects of space travel. This mission utilized the Spacelab module, a European-built system carried in the shuttle's payload bay, designed for scientific research in orbit. The crew performed experiments related to microgravity research, investigating how the absence of significant gravity affects biological systems.1234

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Pedro Duque
…alternate payload specialist for the STS-78 mission and served as a crew interface coordinator on the ground during that mission in June and July 1996. After further training at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, he qualified for assignments in space as a mission specialist. He flew into space for…
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…alternate payload specialist for the STS-78 mission and served as a crew interface coordinator on the ground during that mission in June and July 1996. After further training at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, he qualified for assignments in space as a mission specialist. He flew into space for…
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Susan Helms
The STS-78 mission of the space shuttle Columbia carried a pressurized Spacelab module in which the crew performed biological and materials science experiments. Helms was the payload commander of the Spacelab module. The mission lasted nearly 17 days (June 20–July 7, 1996) and at the time…
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The STS-78 mission of the space shuttle Columbia carried a pressurized Spacelab module in which the crew performed biological and materials science experiments. Helms was the payload commander of the Spacelab module. The mission lasted nearly 17 days (June 20–July 7, 1996) and at the time…
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Robert Thirsk
…a payload specialist on the STS-78 mission of the space shuttle Columbia, which was launched on June 20, 1996. The spaceflight carried a pressurized Spacelab module in which Thirsk and his crewmates performed biological and materials science experiments. The mission lasted nearly 17 days and at the time was the…
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…a payload specialist on the STS-78 mission of the space shuttle Columbia, which was launched on June 20, 1996. The spaceflight carried a pressurized Spacelab module in which Thirsk and his crewmates performed biological and materials science experiments. The mission lasted nearly 17 days and at the time was the…
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