d1

Payload on Spacelab on STS-61A
The first West German mission Deutschland 1 (Spacelab-D1, DLR-1, NASA designation STS-61-A) took place in 1985. A second similar mission, Deutschland 2 (Spacelab-D2, DLR-2, NASA designation STS-55), was first planned for 1988, but due to the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, was delayed until 1993. It became the first German manned space mission after German reunification.

Germany's first Spacelab mission was D1, a seven-day mission launched 30 October 1985. This mission marked the first time the
scientific and technical control of the Spacelabs performed outside the US. The Germanpace Operations Center (GSOC) in
Oberpfaffenhofen planned, prepared, and controlled D1. Two German payload specialists, Ernst Messerschmid and Reinhard
Purrer, worked in shifts with NASA and Dutch astronauts to provide nearly 24 hours per day access to the scientific payload.