Palapa B2 and Westar 6, meanwhile, had been deployed during the STS-41-B mission earlier in the year, but had been placed into improper orbits due to the malfunctioning of their kick motors; they were both safely recovered and returned to Earth during STS-51-A.

STS-51-A was launched from Florida's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) at 7:15:00 a.m. EST, on November 8, 1984, less than a month after the STS-41-G flight.

A launch attempt the day before was scrubbed at T-minus 20 minutes due to high shear winds in the upper atmosphere.

Allen was able to manually maneuver the satellite into its cradle with Gardner's help, further aided by the Canadarm, which was operated by Fisher.

On all subsequent spacewalks conducted by both NASA and the Soviet/Russian space agencies, the astronauts were tethered to the craft by some means.

The second mission of Discovery ended at 6:59:56 a.m. EST on November 16, 1984, with a successful landing on Runway 15 at KSC.

The red and white trailing stripes, the blue background, and the presence of the Eagle, generate memories of America's 208 year-old history and traditions.

The two satellites orbiting the Earth backgrounded amidst a celestial scene are a universal representation of the versatility of the Space Shuttle.