STS-51B Spacelab 3

 

Dr. Thornton’s second and final spaceflight was aboard the STS-51B Spacelab 3 Challenger (April 29-May 6, 1985). Again, one of his projects involved an animal payload. This time it was a verification test for a Research Animal Holding Facility (RAHF) containing 24 rats and 2 squirrel monkeys. A secondary objective for this test was the observation of the behavior of the first large contingent of animals living in a space environment. By this time, finding a successful treatment for Space Adaptation Syndrome was a top priority for NASA. This flight tested the first use of autogenic feedback training, a technique used to voluntarily control bodily processes. Crew members wore garments with electrodes and instruments for recording physiological functions.

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