Spartan 201-4

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Spartan 201-4
Organization Unknown (United States)
Mission type Astronomy
Launch date November 21, 1997 (1997-11-21)
Launch vehicle STS-87
Carrier rocket Space Shuttle
Launch site Cape Canaveral, United States
COSPAR ID 1997-073B
Mass 1354 kg
Alternate Names 25062
Additional Information Here
PDMP Information Here
Telecommunications Information Here


Spartan 201-4 is a reusable American solar observatory module that was released from STS 87. A computer glitch made it unable to obtain attitude control; an effort to recapture it robotically introduced a hazardous spin motion, also. Ultimately, it had to be recaptured by a space walk by two astronauts. During the three days of free-flying, its orbital parameters remained close to that of STS 87.