STS-41-D was the maiden voyage of the Space Shuttle Discovery, which launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 30. After completing its planned mission objectives, Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California on September 5, 1984. During its flight, the shuttle successfully deployed three satellites: the business communications satellite, the Japanese communications satellite, and the tracking and data relay satellite. Additionally, it conducted experiments including those related to materials science and fluid dynamics, which would prove beneficial for future space missions.

The crew for this flight consisted of six members: John W. Young, the commander, who was a veteran astronaut with previous shuttle experience, along with his crew members, including Robert Crippen, Kathryn D. Sullivan, Charles D. Gemar, Steven A. Hawley, and Gary E. Payton. Kathryn Sullivan notably became the first American woman to make a spacewalk during this mission. The successful completion of STS-41-D not only highlighted the multifunctional aspects of the shuttle but also demonstrated the NASA's capability to carry out complex missions in low Earth orbit.

The landing of Discovery marked a significant milestone in the shuttle program, bolstering confidence in the vehicle's design and paving the way for subsequent missions. The enduring legacy of Discovery would include its role in the assembly and servicing of the International Space Station, as well as various scientific research missions that expanded our understanding of both space and Earth.