In honor of NASA's 52nd Anniversary this year, we take a look back at the 50th Space Shuttle Mission "STS-47". Space Shuttle Endevour was launced on September 12th, 1992. Returning on September 20th, 1992, after a 7 day, 22 hour, 30 minute and 23 second mission. Traveling a distance of 3,271,844 miles. (Image Credit: NASA)
The crew are: Robert L. Gibson - Commander, Curtis L. Brown, Jr. - Pilot, Mark C. Lee - Payload Commander, N. Jan Davis - Mission Specialist, Jay Apt - Mission Specialist, Mae C. Jemison - Mission Specialist and Mamoru Mohri - Payload Specialist from the Japan NASDA. (Image Credit: NASA)
The United States Congress authorized the construction of Endeavour in 1987 to replace Challenger, which was lost in an accident in 1986. Structural spares from the construction of Discovery and Atlantis, two of the three remaining operating shuttles at the time, were used in its assembly. (Image Credit: NASA)
Space Shuttle Endeavour is one of the three currently operational orbiters in the Space Shuttle fleet of NASA. Endeavour was the fifth and final NASA space shuttle to be built. Pictured: Space Shuttle Endeavour leaving Edwards Air Force Base for the trip back to Florida. (Image Credit: NASA)
The orbiter is named after HM Bark Endeavour, the ship commanded by 18th century explorer James Cook. The name also honores Endeavour, the Command Module of Apollo 15. Pictured: Space Shuttle Endeavour arriving in Florida. (Image Credit: NASA)
To date, the last mission for "Endeavour" was STS-123, a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The original launch target date was February 14, 2008 but after the delay of STS-122, the shuttle was launched on March 11, 2008. The mission duration was 15 days and 18 hours, setting a record for a shuttle's longest stay at the ISS.
Pictured: The USAF Thunderbirds display team performs a flypast of the STS-123 stack, in commemoration of NASA's 50th anniversary. (Image Credit: NASA)
