# SPARTAN 201-01

> American solar observatory flown during STS-56

**Wikidata**: [Q113148692](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113148692)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/spartan-201-01

## Summary
SPARTAN 201-01 was an American solar observatory deployed and retrieved during the Space Shuttle mission STS-56 in April 1993. It belonged to the SPARTAN series of free-flying space platforms carried by NASA's Space Shuttle.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date**: April 8, 1993 (value: 1993-04-08)
- **Mission**: Solar observatory flown during STS-56
- **Class/Type**: space probe [class] (unmanned robotic spacecraft exploring beyond Earth orbit)
- **Parent Class/Part Of**: SPARTAN [class] (series of free-flying space platforms carried by NASA's Space Shuttle)
- **COSPAR ID**: 1993-023B
- **NSSDCA ID**: 1993-023B
- **SCN (Spacecraft Catalog Number)**: 22623
- **Aliases**: Solar Spartan, SPARTAN201-01, SPARTAN 201-F1, SPARTAN 201-1, SPTN-201-01
- **Launch Site**: Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17 (start_point)

## FAQs
### Q: What was SPARTAN 201-01?
A: SPARTAN 201-01 was an American solar observatory, a type of unmanned robotic spacecraft designed to study the Sun beyond Earth's orbit. It was deployed and recovered by the Space Shuttle Endeavour during STS-56.

### Q: When was SPARTAN 201-01 launched?
A: SPARTAN 201-01 was launched on April 8, 1993, as part of the STS-56 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

### Q: What was the purpose of the SPARTAN 201 mission?
A: SPARTAN 201-01's purpose was to function as a solar observatory, gathering data on the Sun's atmosphere and corona from free space, outside the interference of Earth's atmosphere.

### Q: How was SPARTAN 201-01 classified?
A: SPARTAN 201-01 was classified as a space probe, specifically belonging to the SPARTAN class of free-flying space platforms carried by NASA's Space Shuttle.

### Q: Where did SPARTAN 201-01 launch from?
A: SPARTAN 201-01 launched from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17.

## Why It Matters
SPARTAN 201-01 served as a dedicated solar observatory platform, enabling scientific observations of the Sun that would be impossible or degraded from ground-based telescopes due to atmospheric interference. By operating as a free-flying space probe deployed and retrieved by the Space Shuttle, it provided a versatile and reusable platform for solar research during its STS-56 mission. This contributed to NASA's broader solar physics program, advancing understanding of solar atmospheric dynamics, space weather phenomena, and solar variability – crucial for protecting space assets and understanding Earth's environment.

## Notable For
- Free-flying solar observatory deployed and retrieved by a Space Shuttle (STS-56).
- Member of the SPARTAN class of NASA Shuttle-carried space platforms.
- Classified explicitly as a space probe, emphasizing its unmanned robotic nature and purpose to explore beyond Earth orbit.
- Carried the designation SPARTAN 201-01, part of the SPARTAN 201 series.

## Body
### Mission Overview
SPARTAN 201-01 was an unmanned robotic spacecraft designed specifically for solar observations. It functioned as a space probe, operating in free space beyond Earth's orbit. Its primary mission was conducted during the STS-56 Space Shuttle mission, launched on April 8, 1993. The observatory was deployed by the Space Shuttle Endeavour and later retrieved during the same mission.

### Classification and Affiliation
SPARTAN 201-01 belongs to the SPARTAN [class], which is a series of free-flying space platforms carried by NASA's Space Shuttle. It is an instance of the broader space probe [class]. The entity is identified by its COSPAR ID (1993-023B) and NSSDCA ID (1993-023B), and its spacecraft catalog number (SCN) is 22623. It is an American observatory.

### Identification and Designations
SPARTAN 201-01 is known by several aliases, including Solar Spartan, SPARTAN201-01, SPARTAN 201-F1, SPARTAN 201-1, and SPTN-201-01. It launched from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17. Its core description identifies it as an "American solar observatory flown during STS-56".

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report