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 Spacelab Module LM2 in Columbia's payload bay, serving as the Life and Microgravity Spacelab | |
| Mission type | Bioscience research Microgravity research |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA |
| COSPAR ID | 1996-036A |
| SATCAT no. | 23931 |
| Mission duration | 16 days, 21 hours, 48 minutes, 30 seconds |
| Distance travelled | 11,000,000 kilometres (6,800,000 mi) |
| Orbits completed | 271 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Space Shuttle Columbia |
| Payload mass | 9,649 kilograms (21,272 lb) |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 7 |
| Members | |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | June 20, 1996, 14:49:00.0075 UTC |
| Launch site | Kennedy, LC-39B |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | July 7, 1996, 12:37:30 UTC |
| Landing site | Kennedy, SLF Runway 33 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 246 kilometres (153 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 261 kilometres (162 mi) |
| Inclination | 39.0 degrees |
| Period | 89.6 minutes |
 Left to right – Seated: Henricks, Kregel; Standing: Favier, Linnehan, Helms, Brady, Thirsk | |
STS-78 was the fifth dedicated Life and Microgravity Spacelab mission for the Space Shuttle program, flown partly in preparation for the International Space Station project. The mission used the Space Shuttle Columbia, which lifted off successfully from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39B on June 20, 1996. This marked the 78th flight of the Space Shuttle and 20th mission for Columbia.