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Images of Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) from 1981 and April 12, 1981
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STS-1: First Shuttle Launch
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STS-1: First Shuttle Launch |
| Explanation |
On April 12, 1981, twenty years ago today, the Space Shuttle Columbia [ http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/ columbia.html ] became the first shuttle [ http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/shuttle/missions/ sts-1/mission-sts-1.html ] to orbit the Earth. In this gorgeous time exposure [ http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/captions/bestofthebest/ ksc-81pc-0136.htm ], flood lights play on the Columbia and service structures (left) as it rests atop Complex 39's [ http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/nasafact/ padstoc.htm ] Pad A at Kennedy Space Center in preparation for first launch. Flown by [ http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/ stsref-toc.html ] Commander John W. Young and Pilot Robert L. Crippen, Columbia spent 2 days aloft on its check-out mission, STS-1 [ http://history.nasa.gov/sts1/index.html ], which ended in a smooth landing, airplane-style, at Edwards Air Force Base [ http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/PAO/PressReleases/ 2001/01-21.html ] in California. Ferried back to Kennedy by a modified Boeing 747 [ http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/PAO/PAIS/HTML/ FS-013-DFRC.html ], Columbia was launched again seven months later on STS-2 [ http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-2/ mission-sts-2.html ], becoming the first piloted reuseable orbiter. The oldest operating shuttle, Columbia's 1981 debut was followed by shuttles Challenger [ http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/ challenger.html ] in 1982 (destroyed [ http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/51-l/ mission-51-l.html ] in 1986), Discovery [ http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/ discovery.html ] in 1983, Atlantis [ http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/ atlantis.html ] in 1985, and Challenger's replacement Endeavour [ http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/ endeavour.html ] in 1991. This shuttle fleet has now accomplished [ http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/ ] over 100 orbital missions. Today also marks the 40th anniversary [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960412.html ] of the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin [ http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/space_level2/ gagarin.html ]. |
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Liftoff of Space Shuttle Col
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Liftoff of Space Shuttle Columbia |
| Explanation |
On April 12, 1981, space flight entered a new era with the first launch [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-1/mission-sts-1.html ] of Space Shuttle Columbia [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/columbia.html ], shown above. NASA's Space Shuttles land like a normal plane, carry a heavy cargo, carry a large crew, make use of cheap solid fuel, and are reusable. Previous to this flight, no manned orbiting space ship had ever landed on a runway. Space Shuttles now are the flagships and the workhorses of NASA's [ http://www.nasa.gov/ ] space going rockets. For more information about NASA's Space Shuttle missions, see the NASA Space Shuttle Launches page [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/missions.html ]. Tomorrow's picture: Night Launch of Endeavour |
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Liftoff of Space Shuttle Col
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| Title |
Liftoff of Space Shuttle Columbia |
| Explanation |
On April 12, 1981, space flight entered a new era with the first launch [ http://spacelink.nasa.gov/NASA.Projects/Human.Exploration.and.Development.of.Space/Human.Space.Flight/Shuttle/Shuttle.Missions/Flight.001.STS-1/ ] of Space Shuttle Columbia [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/columbia.html ]. NASA's Space Shuttles [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/shuttlehistory.html ] land like a normal airplane, carry a heavy cargo, carry a large crew, make use of cheap solid fuel, and are reusable. Previous to this flight [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/iams/html/pao/STS1.htm ], no manned orbiting space ship had ever landed on a runway. Space Shuttles now are the flagships and the workhorses [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/missions.html ] of NASA's space going rockets. |
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