Information AboutSts-1 |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT STS-1 | |
| space shuttle missions | |
| 1981 in space exploration | |
The first Space Shuttle mission, STS-1, launched April 12 , 1981 , returned April 14 . Space Shuttle Columbia orbited the earth 36 times in this 54.5 hour mission. It was the first US manned space flight since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in July 1975 . CREW
The crew of STS-2 served as backup for this mission.
MISSION PARAMETERS
MISSION HIGHLIGHTS The first launch of the Space Shuttle occurred on April 12, 1981, when the orbiter Columbia, with two crew members, astronauts John W. Young, commander, and Robert L. Crippen, pilot, lifted off from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, at the Kennedy Space Center -- the first of 24 launches from Pad A. It was exactly 7 a.m. EST. A launch attempt, 2 days before, was scrubbed because of a timing problem in one of the Columbia's general purpose computers. Not only was this the first launch of the Space Shuttle, but it marked the first time that solid fuel rockets were used for a U.S. manned launch. It was also the first US manned space vehicle launched without an unmanned powered test flight. The STS-1 orbiter, Columbia, also holds the record for the amount of time spent in the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) before launch -- 610 days, time needed for replacement of many of its Heat Shield Tiles . Primary mission objectives of the maiden flight were to check out the overall Shuttle system, accomplish a safe ascent into orbit and to return to Earth for a safe landing. All of these objectives were met successfully and the Shuttle's worthiness as a space vehicle was verified. The only payload carried on the mission was a Development Flight Instrumentation (DFI) package which contained sensors and measuring devices to record orbiter performance and the stresses that occurred during launch, ascent, orbital flight, descent and landing. The 36-orbit, 933,757-mile-long flight lasted 2 days, 6 hours, 20 minutes and 32 seconds. Landing took place on Runway 23 at Edwards AFB, Calif., on April 14, 1981, at 10:21 a.m. PST. Post-flight inspection of the Columbia revealed that an overpressure wave which occurred when the SRB ignited resulted in the loss of 16 heat shield tiles and damage to 148 others. Inspection by astronauts during orbit showed significant damage to the thermal protection tiles on the OMS/RCS pods at the orbiter aft end. During reentry a protruding tile gap filler ducted hot gas into the landing gear well, which caused significant damage {Link without Title} . In most other respects Columbia came through the flight with flying colors, and it was to fly the next four Shuttle missions. Columbia was returned to Kennedy Space Center from California on April 28 atop its 747 carrier aircraft. MISSION INSIGNIA The artwork for the official mission insignia was designed by artist Robert McCall. ANNIVERSARY Yuri's Night is an international celebration held on April 12 every year to commemorate the First Human In Space and the first Space Shuttle launch. In tribute to the 25th anniversary of the first flight of Space Shuttle, the firing room 1 in the Launch Control Center at Kennedy Space Center is renamed to the Young-Crippen Firing Room, dedicating the firing room that launched the historic flight and the crew of STS-1. NASA described the mission as: ''"The boldest test flight in history"'' {Link without Title} TRIVIA
''HAIL COLUMBIA!'' IMAX cameras filmed the launch, landing, and mission control during the flight for a film entitled ''Hail Columbia!'', which debuted in 1982. It is now available on DVD, and is currently being shown in its original IMAX form at the IMAX SpaceDome theatre at the U.S. Space And Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama . The title of the film comes from the pre-1930s unofficial American national anthem, also titled '' Hail, Columbia ''. SEE ALSO
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