STS-26  STS-26 was the 26th NASA Space Shuttle mission and the seventh flight of the orbiter "Discovery". The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 29 September 1988, and landed four days later on 3 October. STS-26 was declared the "Return to Flight" mission, being the first mission after the Space Shuttle "Challenger" disaster of 28 January 1986. It was the first mission since STS-9 to use the original STS numbering system, the first to have all its crew members wear pressure suits for launch and landing since STS-4, and the first mission with bailout capacity since STS-4. STS-26 was also the first all-veteran crew mission since Apollo 11, with all of its crew members having flown at least one prior mission. The crew roster for STS-26 was based on the original crew assignment for STS-61-F, which would have launched the "Ulysses" probe from "Challenger" in 1986. "Ulysses" was eventually launched on STS-41. Hauck, Lounge and Hilmers were all assigned to that flight, with Roy D. Bridges, Jr. as pilot. Bridges never flew again after the "Challenger" disaster, but would eventually become the director of Langley Research Center. Covey was the CAPCOM operator during the STS-51-L launch who uttered the words, ""Challenger", go at throttle up", shortly after which the orbiter disintegrated. He also would have been the CAPCOM operator for the canceled STS-61-F mission during launch and landing. Space Shuttle "Discovery" lifted off from Pad B, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, at 11:37 am EDT on 29 September 1988, 975 days after the "Challenger" disaster. The launch was delayed by one hour and 38 minutes due to unseasonable and unusual light winds, and the need to replace fuses in the cooling systems of two crew members' flight suits. The suits were repaired, and a waiver was issued for the wind conditions after officials determined there was a sufficient safety margin for wind loads on the orbiter's wing leading edges. At T-1:30, it was proposed that the launch be delayed at T-0:31 due to a cabin air pressure issue. It was quickly determined that the cabin pressure had been increased slightly by the activation of the oxygen systems in the crew's flight suits, and the launch was conducted without further delay.