Background

The Atlantis was the fourth orbiter to become operational at Kennedy Space Center.  The Atlantis was named after the primary research vessel, operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.  The Atlantis is commonly referred to as OV-104 for Orbiter Vehicle-104.  The Atlantis was the first vessel to be used for oceanographic research.  The shuttle Atlantis benefited from experience gained in the construction of the first three shuttles, two of which are the Challenger and the Columbia.  The Atlantis weighed 7,000 pounds less than the Columbia and took about half the time to build.

The Atlantis can hold up to seventeen crew members and five scientists.  The research personnel worked in two onboard laboratories, where they examined water samples and marine life.  The Atlantis used two large wenches from thousands of feet below the surface of the ocean to obtain the water samples and the marine life.  The crew of the Atlantis also used the first electronic sounding devices to map the ocean floor.