CRISTA-SPAS-2 satellite in orbit above the Earth. The CRISTA-SPAS-2 satellite was the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere-Shuttle Pallet Satellite-2. A joint venture between the German space agency and NASA, it was deployed on 7 August 1997 during mission STS-85 (7-19 August 1997), flown by the Space Shuttle Discovery. The SPAS was a flight support system, while CRISTA consisted of three telescopes and four spectrometers that measured infrared emission from the middle region of the Earth's atmosphere. Ultraviolet and other measurements were also carried out. The satellite was retrieved by Discovery after 9 days in orbit. Photographed on 7 August 1997.