Space Shuttle Project

With a veteran crew aboard, the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-62) roars off Launch Pad 39B to begin a 14-day extended duration stay in space. The two primary payloads for Columbia's 16th spaceflight are the US Microgravity Payload 2 (USMP-2) and the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology 2 (OAST-2). A diversified variety of secondary payloads are located in the payload bay as well as the middeck.