Browse All : Space Shuttle Orbiter and Columbia and Earth of Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Sally Ride, First U.S. Woman …

Title	Sally Ride, First U.S. Woman in Space
Full Description	Sally Ride was the first American woman in space. Born on May 26, 1951 in Los Angeles, California, she received a Bachelor in Physics and English in 1973 from Stanford University and, later, a Master in Physics in 1975 and a Doctorate in Physics in 1978, also from Stanford. NASA selected Dr. Ride as an astronaut candidate in January 1978. She completed her training in August 1979, and began her astronaut career as a mission specialist on STS-7, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on June 18, 1983. The mission spent 147 hours in space before landing on a lakebed runway at Edwards Air Force Base, California on June 24, 1983. Dr. Ride also served as a mission specialist on STS-41-G, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on October 5, 1984 and landed 197 hours later at Kennedy Space Center, Florida on October 13, 1984. In June 1985, NASA assigned Dr. Ride to serve as mission specialist on STS-61-M. She discontinued mission training in January 1986 to serve as a member of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger accident, also known as the Rogers Commission. Upon completing the investigation she returned to NASA Headquarters as Special Assistant to the Administrator for Long Range and Strategic Planning, where she lead a team that wrote NASA Leadership and America's Future in Space:A Report to the Administrator in August 1987. Dr. Ride has also written a children's book, To Space and Back, describing her experiences in space, has received the Jefferson Award for Public Service, and has twice been awarded the National Spaceflight Medal. Her latest books include Voyager: An Adventure to the Edge of the Solar System and The Third Planet: Exploring the Earth from Space. She was also a member of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB), which investigated the February 1, 2003 loss of Space Shuttle Columbia. Dr. Ride is currently a physics professor and Director of the California Space Institute at the University of California, San Diego.
Date	06/1984
NASA Center	Johnson Space Center

First Class of Female Astron …

Title	First Class of Female Astronauts
Full Description	From left to right are Shannon W. Lucid, Margaret Rhea Seddon, Kathryn D. Sullivan, Judith A. Resnik, Anna L. Fisher, and Sally K. Ride. NASA selected all six women as their first female astronaut candidates in January 1978, allowing them to enroll in a training program that they completed in August 1979. Shannon W. Lucid was born on January 14, 1943 in Shanghai, China but considers Bethany, Oklahoma to be her hometown. She spent many years at the University of Oklahoma, receiving a Bachelor in chemistry in 1963, a Master in biochemistry in 1970, and a Doctorate in biochemistry in 1973. Dr. Lucid flew on the STS-51G Discovery, STS-34 Atlantis, STS-43 Atlantis, and STS-58 Columbia shuttle missions, setting the record for female astronauts by logging 838 hours and 54 minutes in space. She also currently holds the United States single mission space flight endurance record for her 188 days on the Russian Space Station Mir. From February 2002 to September 2003, she served as chief scientist at NASA Headquarters before returning to JSC to help with the Return to Flight program after the STS-107 accident. Born November 8, 1947, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Margaret Rhea Seddon received a Doctorate of Medicine in 1973 from the University of Tennessee. She flew on space missions STS-51 Discovery, STS-40 Columbia, and STS-58 Columbia for a total of over 722 hours in space. Dr. Seddon retired from NASA in November 1997, taking on a position as the Assistant Chief Medical Officer of the Vanderbilt Medical Group in Nashville, Tennessee. Kathryn Sullivan was born October 3, 1951 in Patterson, New Jersey but considers Woodland Hills, California to be her hometown. She received a Bachelor in Earth Sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1973 and a Doctorate in Geology from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1978. She flew on space missions STS-41G, STS-31, and STS-45 and logged a total of 532 hours in space. Dr. Sullivan left NASA in August 1992 to assume the position of Chief Scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She later went on to serve as President and CEO of the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Judith Resnik was born April 5, 1949 in Akron, Ohio. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1970, and a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from University of Maryland in 1977. Dr. Resnik left a job as a senior systems engineer in product development with Xerox Corporation at El Segundo, California to work for NASA in 1978. She died on January 28, 1986 on her second mission, during the launch of Challenger STS-51-L. Anna Fisher was born August 24, 1949 in New York City, New York hometown. She received a Doctorate in Medicine in 1976 and a Master of Science in Chemistry in 1987, both from the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Fisher flew on STS-51A, the Space Shuttle Discovery's November 8, 1984, mission, and logged 192 hours in space, her second schedule mission was cancelled after the Space Shuttle Challenger STS-51L accident. She remains with NASA, where she has filled many positions over decades of service. Dr. Sally Ride was the first American woman in space. Born on May 26, 1951 in Los Angeles, California, she went on to receive a Bachelor in Physics and English in 1973 from Stanford University and, later, a Master in Physics in 1975 and a Doctorate in Physics in 1978, also from Stanford. She began her astronaut career as a mission specialist on STS-7, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on June 18, 1983, and later went on to fly on STS-41G. She withdrew from training for her third scheduled mission in order to serve on the investigative committee for the Space Shuttle Challenger accident and never returned to training, although she went on to work for headquarters and later to serve on the Columbia Accident Investigation Board before returning to the private sector as a physics professor.
Date	02/28/1979
NASA Center	Johnson Space Center

Throttling Upward

Title	Throttling Upward
Full Description	Aerial views of the STS-2 launch from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. This photograph of Columbia soaring toward earth orbit was captured by Mission- Specialist/Astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan from the rear station of a T-38 jet aircraft. Part of the wing top of her aircraft can be seen in the lower left corner. Another T-38 jet can be seen at lower left corner near the smoke trails from the Shuttle.
Date	11/12/1981
NASA Center	Johnson Space Center

Manicouagan Impact Crater on …

Title	Manicouagan Impact Crater on Earth
Explanation	The Manicouagan Crater [ http://www.linkdirectory.com/airphoto/1030.html ] in northern Canada [ http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ca.html ] is one of the oldest impact craters [ http://observe.ivv.nasa.gov/nasa/exhibits/craters/impact_home.html ] known. Formed during a surely tremendous impact [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990711.html ] about 200 million years ago, the present day terrain supports a 70-kilometer diameter hydroelectric reservoir [ http://www.ilec.or.jp/database/nam/nam-26.html ] in the telltale form of an annular lake [ http://epod.usra.edu/archive/epodviewer.php3?oid=40640 ]. The crater itself has been worn away by the passing of glaciers [ http://www.glacier.rice.edu/land/5_whatisaglacier.html ] and other erosional processes. Still, the hard rock [ http://duke.usask.ca/~reeves/prog/geoe118/geoe118.011.html ] at the impact site has preserved much of the complex impact structure [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960120.html ] and so allows scientists a leading case to help understand large impact features on Earth [ http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/impacts.html ] and other [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001213.html ap960906.html ] Solar System bodies. Also visible above [ http://earth.jsc.nasa.gov/lores.cgi?PHOTO=STS009-48-3139 ] is the vertical fin of the Space Shuttle [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990411.html ] Columbia from which the picture was taken in 1983.

Astro 1 In Orbit

Title	Astro 1 In Orbit
Explanation	In December of 1990, the Space Shuttle Columbia [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950808.html ] carried an array of astronomical telescopes [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/STS35/10063952.htm ] high above the Earth's obscuring atmosphere to observe the Universe at ultraviolet and x-ray wavelengths. The telescopes, known by the acronyms UIT [ http://fondue.gsfc.nasa.gov/UIT/UIT_HomePage.html ], HUT [ http://praxis.pha.jhu.edu/hut.html ], WUPPE [ http://www.sal.wisc.edu/WUPPE/ ], and BBXRT [ http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/bbxrt/bbxrt_menu.html ], are seen here in Columbia's [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/columbia.html ] payload bay against a spectacular view of the constellation Orion. The ultraviolet telescopes [ http://praxis.pha.jhu.edu/instruments/instruments.html ] were mounted on a common structure - HUT is visible in this view along with a star tracker (the silver cone at the left). The mission studied solar system, galactic, and extra-galactic sources [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960409.html ].

Aristarchus' Unbelievable Di …

Title	Aristarchus' Unbelievable Discoveries
Explanation	Here lived one of the greatest thinkers in human history. Aristarchus [ http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Aristarchus.html ] lived on the Greek island of Samos, a small island in the center of the above picture [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/STS58/10083809.htm ] that can be identified with a good map [ http://www.cruiseair.com/bigmap.gif ]. Aristarchus, who lived from 310 BC to 230 BC, postulated that the planets orbited the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960521.html ] - not the Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950830.html ] -- over a thousand years before Copernicus [ http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Copernicus.html ] and Galileo [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960830.html ] made similar arguments. Aristarchus used clear logic to estimate the size of the Earth, the size and distance to our Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/lib/moon.html ], the size and distance to our Sun, the the even deduced that the points of light we see at night are not dots painted on some celestial sphere but stars like our Sun at enormous distances. Aristarchus' discoveries [ http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/GreekScience/Students/Kristen/Aristarchus.html ] remained truly unbelievable to the people of his time but stand today as pillars of deductive reasoning.

Astro 1 In Orbit

Title	Astro 1 In Orbit
Explanation	In December of 1990, the Space Shuttle Columbia [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950808.html ] carried an array of astronomical telescopes [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/STS35/10063952.htm ] high above the Earth's obscuring atmosphere to observe the Universe at ultraviolet and x-ray wavelengths. The telescopes, known by the acronyms UIT [ http://fondue.gsfc.nasa.gov/UIT/UIT_HomePage.html ], HUT [ http://praxis.pha.jhu.edu/hut.html ], WUPPE [ http://www.sal.wisc.edu/WUPPE/ ], and BBXRT [ http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/bbxrt/bbxrt_menu.html ], are seen here in Columbia's [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/columbia.html ] payload bay against a spectacular view of the constellation Orion [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap961202.html ]. The ultraviolet telescopes [ http://praxis.pha.jhu.edu/instruments/instruments.html ] were mounted on a common structure - HUT is visible in this view along with a star tracker (the silver cone at the left). The mission studied solar system, galactic, and extra-galactic sources [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960409.html ].

Astro 1 In Orbit

Title	Astro 1 In Orbit
Explanation	In December of 1990, the Space Shuttle Columbia [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap961110.html ] carried an array of astronomical telescopes [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/STS35/10063952.htm ] high above the Earth's obscuring atmosphere to observe the Universe [ http://trifle.gsfc.nasa.gov/UIT/Astro1/Astro1_pictures.html ] at ultraviolet and x-ray wavelengths. The telescopes, known by the acronyms UIT [ http://trifle.gsfc.nasa.gov/UIT/UIT_HomePage.html ], HUT [ http://praxis.pha.jhu.edu/hut.html ], WUPPE [ http://www.sal.wisc.edu/WUPPE/ ], and BBXRT [ http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/bbxrt/bbxrt_menu.html ], are seen here in Columbia's [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/columbia.html ] payload bay against a spectacular view of the constellation Orion [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap961202.html ]. The ultraviolet telescopes [ http://praxis.pha.jhu.edu/instruments/instruments.html ] were mounted on a common structure - HUT is visible in this view along with a star tracker (the silver cone at the left). The mission studied solar system, galactic, and extra-galactic sources [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980314.html ].

Astro 1 In Orbit

Title	Astro 1 In Orbit
Explanation	Fifteen years ago, in December of 1990, the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia [ http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/ orbiters/orbiterscol.html ] carried an array of astronomical telescopes [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/luceneweb/ caption_direct.jsp?photoId=STS035-28-022 ] high above the Earth's obscuring atmosphere to explore the Universe at [ http://archive.stsci.edu/uit/project/Astro1/ Astro1_pictures.html ] ultraviolet and x-ray wavelengths. The telescopes, known by the acronyms UIT [ http://archive.stsci.edu/uit/project/ ], HUT [ http://praxis.pha.jhu.edu/hut.html ], WUPPE [ http://www.sal.wisc.edu/WUPPE/ ], and BBXRT [ http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/bbxrt/bbxrt_about.html ], are seen here in Columbia's payload bay against a spectacular view of the constellation Orion [ http://www.gb.nrao.edu/~rmaddale/Education/OrionTourCenter/ index.html ]. The ultraviolet telescopes [ http://praxis.pha.jhu.edu/instruments/ instruments.html ] were mounted on a common structure - HUT is visible in this view along with a star tracker (the silver cone at the left). Taken during the nighttime [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap981217.html ] portion of the shuttle's 90 minute orbit, the picture shows the telescopes and structures illuminated by moonlight [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020921.html ].

Port side thermal image of C …

Title	Port side thermal image of Columbia's underside during re-entry
Description	S82-29021 (30 March 1982) --- This unique look at the underside of the Space Shuttle Columbia in flight was provided by a Lockheed C-141 Starlifter aircraft and the Ames Kuiper Airborne Observatory. Flying parallel to Columbia's flight path at an altitude of approximately 41,000 feet, the aircraft's infrared imagery system was using a 36-inch telescope to follow the spacecraft, which was at about 185,000 feet when the imagery was recorded. The purpose of the system is to gather high resolution temperature data of the thermal protection system (TPS) during its transitional phase (not peak or turbulent flow phase) about 16.5 minutes after Columbia begins entry into Earth's atmosphere. Exposure time was 4/1000 of a second (or four milliseconds). This image shows the port or commander's side of the spacecraft. Astronauts Jack R. Lousma and C. Gordon Fullerton were aboard the shuttle for eight days in March of 1982.
Date	04.14.1982

General Description	STS-93 Shuttle Mission Imagery

General Description	STS-107 Shuttle Mission Imagery

General Description	STS-107 Shuttle Mission Imagery

General Description	STS-87 Shuttle Mission Imagery

General Description	STS-87 Shuttle Mission Imagery

General Description	STS-87 Shuttle Mission Imagery

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, HOUSON, TEXAS -- STS-107 INSIGNIA -- This is the insignia for STS-107, which is a multi-discipline microgravity and Earth science research mission with a multitude of international scientific investigations conducted continuously during the planned 16 days on orbit. The central element of the patch is the microgravity symbol flowing into the rays of the astronaut symbol. The mission inclination is portrayed by the 39-degree angle of the astronaut symbol to the Earth's horizon. The sunrise is representative of the numerous experiments that are the dawn of a new era for continued microgravity research on the International Space Station and beyond. The breadth of science conducted on this mission will have widespread benefits to life on Earth and our continued exploration of space, illustrated by the Earth and stars. The constellation Columba (the dove) was chosen to symbolize peace on Earth and the Space Shuttle Columbia. The seven stars also represent the mission crew members and honor the original astronauts who paved the way to make research in space possible. The Israeli flag is adjacent to the name of the payload specialist who is the first person from that country to fly on the Space Shuttle. The NASA insignia design for Space Shuttle flights is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the form of illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which we do not anticipate, it will be publicly announced.

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, HOUSON …

Description	JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, HOUSON, TEXAS -- STS-107 INSIGNIA -- This is the insignia for STS-107, which is a multi-discipline microgravity and Earth science research mission with a multitude of international scientific investigations conducted continuously during the planned 16 days on orbit. The central element of the patch is the microgravity symbol flowing into the rays of the astronaut symbol. The mission inclination is portrayed by the 39-degree angle of the astronaut symbol to the Earth's horizon. The sunrise is representative of the numerous experiments that are the dawn of a new era for continued microgravity research on the International Space Station and beyond. The breadth of science conducted on this mission will have widespread benefits to life on Earth and our continued exploration of space, illustrated by the Earth and stars. The constellation Columba (the dove) was chosen to symbolize peace on Earth and the Space Shuttle Columbia. The seven stars also represent the mission crew members and honor the original astronauts who paved the way to make research in space possible. The Israeli flag is adjacent to the name of the payload specialist who is the first person from that country to fly on the Space Shuttle. The NASA insignia design for Space Shuttle flights is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the form of illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which we do not anticipate, it will be publicly announced.
Release Date	05/01/2001

Artist concept of STS-40 Columbia, OV-102, cargo configuration

Artist concept of STS-40 Col …

Title	Artist concept of STS-40 Columbia, OV-102, cargo configuration
Description	Artist concept titled "Space Shuttle Program STS-40 Cargo Configuration" shows Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, orbiting the Earth with payload bay doors (PLBDs) open and locations of Spacelab Life Sciences 1 (SLS-1) module, get-away special (GAS) bridge assembly, and middeck zero-gravity dynamics experiment (MODE) 0 identified.
Date Taken	1991-04-17

View of the Columbia's open payload bay and the Canadian RMS

View of the Columbia's open …

Title	View of the Columbia's open payload bay and the Canadian RMS
Description	Photograph of the Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-2 flight. Clouds over the earth and a black sky form a backdrop for this photograph taken through the aft flight deck windows viewing the payload bay. Part of the Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications (OSTA-1) pallet is visible in the open cargo bay. Above it can be seen the arm of the Canadian built remote manipulator system (RMS).
Date Taken	1981-11-13

View of STS-1 payload bay and aft section

View of STS-1 payload bay an …

Title	View of STS-1 payload bay and aft section
Description	Cargo bay and aft section of the Space Shuttle orbiter Columbia photographed through the flight deck's aft windows. In the lower right corner is one of the vehicle's radiator panels. Some of the thermal tiles are missing from the orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods which flank the vertical stabilizer at left edge of the photograph. A collection of possible support equipment is housed in the box-like devices (lower left) known as the development flight instrument pallet. The pentagon-shaped glare at upper left is caused by window reflection.
Date Taken	1981-04-13

White Sands, Carrizozo Lava …

Title	White Sands, Carrizozo Lava Beds, NM
Description	A truly remarkable view of White Sands and the nearby Carrizozo Lava Beds in southeast NM (33.5N, 106.5W). White Sands, site of the WW II atomic bomb development and testing facility and later post war nuclear weapons testing that can still be seen in the cleared circular patterns on the ground. Space Shuttle Columbia, this mission, landed at the White Sands alternate landing site because of bad weather at Edwards AFB, CA.
Date Taken	1982-03-30

IECM grappled by RMS and positioned above payload bay

IECM grappled by RMS and pos …

Title	IECM grappled by RMS and positioned above payload bay
Description	Canadian-built remote manipulator system (RMS) arm and hand-like device, called an end effector, grasp the STS-4 experiment titled Induced Environment Contamination Monitor (IECM), a small box containing 11 instruments. Purpose of the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)-developed experiment is to check the contamination in and around the Space Shuttle orbiter payload bay (PLB) which might adversely affect delicate experiments carried onboard.
Date Taken	1982-07-04

Closeups of IECM grappled by RMS and positioned above payload bay (PLB)

Closeups of IECM grappled by …

Title	Closeups of IECM grappled by RMS and positioned above payload bay (PLB)
Description	Closeup view of the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)-developed Induced Environment Contamination Monitor (IECM), a multi-instrument box designed to check for contaminants in and around the Space Shuttle orbiter payload bay (PLB) which might adversely affect delicate experiments onboard. The crew maneuvered the Canadian-built robot arm, called the remote manipulator system (RMS), very near their overhead flight deck windows and captured this scene with a 35mm camera. Cameras for the 11 instruments are the black circles. The access door to the arm and safe plug is located about halfway up the side of the box. A cascade injector device appears next to access door. The rectangular opening at center of the box is the optical effects module. Mass spectrometer is in one corner with air sampler bottles at the opposite corner. The colorful rectangle is the passive array. Not easily seen but also a part of the instrument, are Cryogenic Quartz Crystal Microbalance (CQCM) and the temperature co
Date Taken	1982-07-04

STS-50 Columbia, OV-102, soars into the sky after KSC liftoff

STS-50 Columbia, OV-102, soa …

Title	STS-50 Columbia, OV-102, soars into the sky after KSC liftoff
Description	STS-50 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, soars into a cloudy sky after liftoff from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A at 12:12:23:0534 pm (Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)). A low-angle perspective captures OV-102 after it has cleared the launch tower and looks up the long trail of exhaust smoke pouring out the skirt of the left solid rocket booster (SRB) to the top of the external tank (ET). The three space shuttle main engines are visible as is the diamond shock effect produced at the SSME nozzles. This is the beginning of OV-102's scheduled record 13-day mission in Earth orbit. OV-102 is NASA's first extended duration orbiter (EDO).
Date Taken	1992-07-09

STS-50 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, lifts off from KSC LC Pad 39A

STS-50 Columbia, Orbiter Veh …

Title	STS-50 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, lifts off from KSC LC Pad 39A
Description	STS-50 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, lifts off from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A at 12:12:23:0534 pm (Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)). An exhaust cloud covers the launch pad area as OV-102, atop its external tank (ET) and flanked by two solid rocket boosters (SRBs), clears the launch tower and heads on its way toward a scheduled record 13-day mission in Earth orbit. OV-102 is NASA's first extended duration orbiter (EDO). The diamond shock effect is visible at OV-102's three space shuttle main engines (SSMEs).
Date Taken	1992-07-09

STS-50 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, crew insignia

STS-50 Columbia, Orbiter Veh …

Title	STS-50 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, crew insignia
Description	STS-50 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, crew insignia (logo), the Official insignia of the NASA STS-50 United States Microgravity Laboratory 1 (USML-1) mission, captures a Space Shuttle traveling above Earth while trailing the USML banner. The orbiter is oriented vertically in a typical attitude for microgravity science and in this position represents the numeral 1 in the mission's abbreviated title. This flight represents the first in a series of USML flights on which the primary objective is microgravity science, planned and executed through the combined efforts of America's government, industry and academia. Visible in the payload bay (PLB) are the Spacelab module, and the extended duration orbiter (EDO) "cryo" pallet which will be making its first flight. The small g and Greek letter mu on the Spacelab module symbolize the microgravity environment being used for research in the areas of materials science and fluid physics. The large block U extends outside the patch perimeter, s
Date Taken	1992-06-25

STS-50 Columbia, Orbiter Veh …

Title	STS-50 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, lifts off from KSC LC Pad 39A
Description	STS-50 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, lifts off from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A at 12:12:23:0534 pm (Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)). In this distant view, a cactus (prickly pear), foliage, and a waterway are seen in the foreground as OV-102, in the distance, rockets toward the beginning of its scheduled record 13-day mission in Earth orbit. An exhaust cloud covers the launch pad area with only the sound supression water system tank visible (at right). OV-102, atop its external tank (ET) and flanked by two solid rocket boosters (SRBs), has cleared the launch tower and is moments away from its roll maneuver. OV-102 is NASA's first extended duration orbiter (EDO). The diamond shock effect is visible at OV-102's three space shuttle main engines (SSMEs).
Date Taken	1992-07-09

South Florida and Payload Ba …

Title	South Florida and Payload Bay
Description	Most of south Florida and the space shuttle payload bay (27.0N, 81.0W) can be seen in this view. The first United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-1) module is pictured in the payload bay of the earth-orbiting Columbia in this scene over the southern two-thirds of the Florida peninsula. The Kennedy Space Center, where the mission began, can be seen just above Columbia's starboard wing.
Date Taken	1992-07-09

Plasma diagnostics package (PDP) photographed by STS-3 crew

Plasma diagnostics package ( …

Title	Plasma diagnostics package (PDP) photographed by STS-3 crew
Description	This 35mm view shows the plasma diagnostics package (PDP) photographed by STS-3 crewmen inside the Space Shuttle Columbia in Earth orbit. The darkness surrounding the frame indicates the outline of the ceiling window throught which the frame was exposed. The white cylinder attached to the experiment is the forearm of the Canadian-built remote manipulator system (RMS). The little drum shaped package is a comprehensive assembly of electro magnetic and particle sensors.
Date Taken	1982-03-31

View of the Columbia's aft section while over Mediterranean Sea

View of the Columbia's aft s …

Title	View of the Columbia's aft section while over Mediterranean Sea
Description	This southerly looking view photographed from the orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia shows a small portion of the vehichle's aft section. The 50-ft Canadian built remote manipulator system (RMS) is in a resting posture (lower right corner) stretched out along the 60-ft. long cargo bay. Many of the components of the OSS-1 payload package are in the bottom center. The Mediterranean Sea is at right foreground. Parts of the Sinai peninsula, Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon can be located in the photo. The Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba, Suez Canal are near the photo's horizon.
Date Taken	1982-03-31

Port side thermal image of Columbia's underside during re-entry

Port side thermal image of C …

Title	Port side thermal image of Columbia's underside during re-entry
Description	S82-29021 (30 March 1982) --- This unique look at the underside of the Space Shuttle Columbia in flight was provided by a Lockheed C-141 Starlifter aircraft and the Ames Kuiper Airborne Observatory. Flying parallel to Columbia's flight path at an altitude of approximately 41,000 feet, the aircraft's infrared imagery system was using a 36-inch telescope to follow the spacecraft, which was at about 185,000 feet when the imagery was recorded. The purpose of the system is to gather high resolution temperature data of the thermal protection system (TPS) during its transitional phase (not peak or turbulent flow phase) about 16.5 minutes after Columbia begins entry into Earth's atmosphere. Exposure time was 4/1000 of a second (or four milliseconds). This image shows the port or commander's side of the spacecraft. Astronauts Jack R. Lousma and C. Gordon Fullerton were aboard the shuttle for eight days in March of 1982.
Date Taken	1982-04-14

Ames Research Center views of Oats, Slash-Pine and Mung bean seedlings STS-3

Ames Research Center views o …

Title	Ames Research Center views of Oats, Slash-Pine and Mung bean seedlings STS-3
Description	Young oat seedlings are shown in a ground laboratory after being flown into space aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-3 in March of 1982. All plants were part of the experimental Plant Growth Unit. They appear to have grown to look similar to the control seedlings on earth. A few small roots can be seen growing upward from the soil (33915), Young slash-pine seedlings are shown upon returning from the STS-3 mission (33916), Mung bean seedlings are shown after their return from space aboard the STS-3 (37917).
Date Taken	1982-07-20

Ames Research Center views o …

Title	Ames Research Center views of Oats, Slash-Pine and Mung bean seedlings STS-3
Description	Young oat seedlings are shown in a ground laboratory after being flown into space aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-3 in March of 1982. All plants were part of the experimental Plant Growth Unit. They appear to have grown to look similar to the control seedlings on earth. A few small roots can be seen growing upward from the soil (33915), Young slash-pine seedlings are shown upon returning from the STS-3 mission (33916), Mung bean seedlings are shown after their return from space aboard the STS-3 (37917).
Date Taken	1982-07-20

Ames Research Center views o …

Title	Ames Research Center views of Oats, Slash-Pine and Mung bean seedlings STS-3
Description	Young oat seedlings are shown in a ground laboratory after being flown into space aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-3 in March of 1982. All plants were part of the experimental Plant Growth Unit. They appear to have grown to look similar to the control seedlings on earth. A few small roots can be seen growing upward from the soil (33915), Young slash-pine seedlings are shown upon returning from the STS-3 mission (33916), Mung bean seedlings are shown after their return from space aboard the STS-3 (37917).
Date Taken	1982-07-20

MOCR activity during STS-4 m …

Title	MOCR activity during STS-4 mission
Description	Downlink of television from the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia is shown on screen in mission operations control room (MOCR) of the JSC mission control center. STS-4 Astronauts Thomas K. Mattingly II, and Henry W. Hartsfield, Jr. can be seen in the downlink, seated at their flight deck stations (32955), Eugene F. Kranz, Deputy Director of Flight Operations at JSC, points out a mission detail to JSC Director Christopher C. Kraft, Jr., center, and Neil B. Hutchinson. The three are at the flight operations director (FOD) console, in the MOCR. The personnel in the background are at the public affairs officer (PAO) console (32956).
Date Taken	1993-06-28

MOCR activity during STS-4 m …

Title	MOCR activity during STS-4 mission
Description	Downlink of television from the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia is shown on screen in mission operations control room (MOCR) of the JSC mission control center. STS-4 Astronauts Thomas K. Mattingly II, and Henry W. Hartsfield, Jr. can be seen in the downlink, seated at their flight deck stations (32955), Eugene F. Kranz, Deputy Director of Flight Operations at JSC, points out a mission detail to JSC Director Christopher C. Kraft, Jr., center, and Neil B. Hutchinson. The three are at the flight operations director (FOD) console, in the MOCR. The personnel in the background are at the public affairs officer (PAO) console (32956).
Date Taken	1993-06-28

STS-55 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, crew insignia

STS-55 Columbia, Orbiter Veh …

Title	STS-55 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, crew insignia
Description	STS-55 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, crew insignia (logo), the Official insignia of the NASA STS-55 mission, displays the Space Shuttle Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, over an Earth-sky background. This mission is the second dedicated German (Deutsche) Spacelab flight and has accordingly been designated D-2. Depicted beneath the orbiter are the American and German flags flying together, representing the partnership of this laboratory mission. The two blue stars in the border bearing the crewmembers' names signify each of the backup (alternate) payload specialists -- Gerhard Thiele and Renate Brummer. The stars in the sky stand for each of the children of the crewmembers in symbolic representation of the space program's legacy to future generations. The rainbow symbolizes the hope for a brighter tomorrow because of the knowledge and technologies gained from this mission's multifaceted experiments. The crewmembers are Commander Steven R. Nagel, Pilot Terrence T. Henricks. Missi
Date Taken	1993-05-06

STS-58 Crew Insignia

Title	STS-58 Crew Insignia
Description	The STS-58 crew insignia depicts the Space Shuttle Columbia with a Spacelab module in its payload bay in orbit around Earth. The Spacelab and the lettering "Spacelab Life Sciences II" highlight its primary mission. An Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) support pallet is shown in the aft payload bay, stressing the length of the mission. The hexagonal shape of the patch depicts the carbon ring. Encircling the inner border of the patch is the double helix of DNA. Its yellow background represents the sun. Both medical and veterinary caducei are shown to represent the STS-58 life sciences experiments. The position of the spacecraft in orbit about Earth with the United States in the background symbolizes the ongoing support of the American people for scientific research.
Date Taken	1993-05-01

Astronauts Blaha and Lucid celebrate Lucid's 752 hour in space

Astronauts Blaha and Lucid c …

Title	Astronauts Blaha and Lucid celebrate Lucid's 752 hour in space
Description	On the forward flight deck of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia, Astronauts John E. Blaha and Shannon W. Lucid show their glee at a milestone achieved a while earlier. The mission commander had earlier announced that Lucid's just achieved 752nd hour in space marked a Space Shuttle record for time spent on a mission.
Date Taken	1993-10-29

Astronaut William McArthur talks to students on earth using SAREX

Astronaut William McArthur t …

Title	Astronaut William McArthur talks to students on earth using SAREX
Description	From the flight deck of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia, astronaut William S. McArthur talks to students on Earth. The mission specialist's activity was part of the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) which serves to enlighten students around the world on the topic of space travel. McArthur (call letters KC5ACR) is one of three licensed amateur radio operators on the seven-member flight.
Date Taken	1993-10-24

Astronaut David Wolf draws blood from Martin Fettman for SLS-2 investigations

Astronaut David Wolf draws b …

Title	Astronaut David Wolf draws blood from Martin Fettman for SLS-2 investigations
Description	Inside the science module aboard the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia, Astronaut David A. Wolf draws blood from payload specialists Martin J. Fettman, DVM. Blood samples from crew members are critical to several Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-2) investigations.
Date Taken	1993-10-24

Strait of Gibraltar as seen …

Title	Strait of Gibraltar as seen from STS-58
Description	Atlantic water flowing with the tide throught the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean generates internal waves as depicted inthis photo. They can be seen in the Space Shuttle photo because of sunglint which reflects off the water. The Bay of Cadiz on the southwest coast of Spain, the Rock of Gibraltar, and Moroccan coast are also visible in this photo.
Date Taken	1993-10-20

Astronaut Marsha S. Ivins prepares to use three Hasselblad cameras together

Astronaut Marsha S. Ivins pr …

Title	Astronaut Marsha S. Ivins prepares to use three Hasselblad cameras together
Description	Astronaut Marsha S. Ivins, mission specialist, prepares to aim three Hasselblad cameras through the overhead windows of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia. The three cameras were allowed to simultaneously record the same imagery on different types of film for purposes of comparison and experimentation.
Date Taken	1994-03-05

Landing of the STS-62 Space Shuttle Columbia at Kennedy Space Center

Landing of the STS-62 Space …

Title	Landing of the STS-62 Space Shuttle Columbia at Kennedy Space Center
Description	The Space Shuttle Columbia is about to touch down on the Shuttle Landing Facility following almost 14 days in Earth orbit. The giant Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) where Columbia had been mated to its external tank and two solid rockets, is in the background. Touchdown occurred at 8:09 a.m. (EST), March 18, 1994.
Date Taken	1994-03-18

Astronauts Thuot and Ivins work with the Dexterous End Effector (DEE)

Astronauts Thuot and Ivins w …

Title	Astronauts Thuot and Ivins work with the Dexterous End Effector (DEE)
Description	This view, photographed on the aft flight deck of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia, captures crew activity with the Dexterous End Effector (DEE) on the Remote Manipulator System (RMS). Astronauts Pierre J. Thuot and Marsha S. Ivins communicate with ground controllers during operations and observations with DEE.
Date Taken	1994-03-05

Liftoff of STS-62 Space Shuttle Columbia

Liftoff of STS-62 Space Shut …

Title	Liftoff of STS-62 Space Shuttle Columbia
Description	Carrying a crew of five veteran NASA astronauts and the United States Microgravity Payload (USMP), the Space Shuttle Columbia clears the launch tower on its way to its sixteenth mission in Earth orbit. Launch occurred at 8:53 a.m. (EST), March 4, 1994.
Date Taken	1994-03-04

Astronaut Thuot and Gemar work with Middeck O-Gravity Dynamics Experiment (MODE)

Astronaut Thuot and Gemar wo …

Title	Astronaut Thuot and Gemar work with Middeck O-Gravity Dynamics Experiment (MODE)
Description	Astronauts Pierre J. Thuot (top) and Charles D. (Sam) Gemar show off the Middeck O-Gravity Dynamics Experiment (MODE) aboard the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia. The reusable test facility is designed to study the non-linear gravity-dependent behavior of two types of space hardware - large space structures (as depicted here) and contained fluids - planned for future spacecraft.
Date Taken	1994-03-04

Astronaut Pierre J. Thuot works with Middeck O-Gravity Dynamics Experiment (MODE)

Astronaut Pierre J. Thuot wo …

Title	Astronaut Pierre J. Thuot works with Middeck O-Gravity Dynamics Experiment (MODE)
Description	Astronaut Pierre J. Thuot, mission specialist, works with the Middeck O-Gravity Dynamics Experiment (MODE) aboard the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia. The reusable test facility is designed to study the nonlinear, gravity-dependent behavior of two types of space hardware - contained fluids and (as depicted here) large space structures - planned for future spacecraft.
Date Taken	1994-03-04

Astronaut Sam Gemar works with Middeck O-Gravity Dynamics Experiment (MODE)

Astronaut Sam Gemar works wi …

Title	Astronaut Sam Gemar works with Middeck O-Gravity Dynamics Experiment (MODE)
Description	Astronaut Charles D. (Sam) Gemar, mission specialist, works with the Middeck O-Gravity Dynamics Experiment (MODE) aboard the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia. The reusable test facility is designed to study the nonlinear, gravity-dependent behavior of two types of space hardware - contained fluids and (as depicted here) large space structures - planned for future spacecraft.
Date Taken	1994-03-04

View of payload bay of STS-62 Columbia and Dexterous End Effector (DEE)

View of payload bay of STS-6 …

Title	View of payload bay of STS-62 Columbia and Dexterous End Effector (DEE)
Description	This 70mm frame, photographed through the aft flight deck windows of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia, features activity with the Dexterous End Effector (DEE) on the Remote Manipulator System (RMS). This scene also provides an overview of many of the United States Microgravity Payload 2 (USMP) elements as well as OAST-2 experiments.
Date Taken	1994-03-04

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