Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Shuttle Engine Blast

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for March 8, 1998 is “Shuttle Engine Blast,” an image. It is credited to Credit: NASA, STS-51 Crew. The original explanation runs about 97 words.

Shuttle Engine Blast
Credit: NASA, STS-51 Crew Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“The Space Shuttle Discovery ‘s orbital maneuvering system (OMS) engine firing produced this dramatic flare as it cruised “upside down” in low Earth orbit. Discovery was named for a ship commanded by Captain James Cook RN , the 18th Century English astronomer and navigator.”

— APOD editors, March 8, 1998

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
March 8, 1998
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: NASA, STS-51 Crew
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 97 words

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Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.