A Look Back at the First Ever Space Shuttle Mission

by Nancy Atkinson on July 7, 2011

As we await the final launch of a space shuttle, here’s a blast from the past: the first ever space shuttle mission (complete with early 80′s funky music). Columbia launched on the first flight (STS-1) on April 12, 1981 and landed in California on April 14.

Tagged as: Space Flight, Space Shuttle, STS-1

  • http://www.quietatheist.com/ Slugsie

    I remember watching the lift off at school. It was inspiring.

    To think that that happened a mere 8 years after we last walked on the moon too!

  • Tim Griffith

    Can someone explain why in this video the liquid fuel tank (center external tank- the big one) is white, yet on so many other flights the external fuel tank appears rust red or orange?

    • http://twitter.com/LightningBoots Sarah Philp

      They stopped painting it white in order to save weight.

  • Tim Griffith

    Can someone explain why in this video the liquid fuel tank (center external tank- the big one) is white, yet on so many other flights the external fuel tank appears rust red or orange?

  • http://twitter.com/stephanelabelle Stephane Labelle

    This is the real deal (without useless music).
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt6Bt1pZ4Is&feature=related

  • Jamie Kitchen

    You really don’t notice how far camera technology has come until you watch something like this. Compare this footage with the Apollo footage and then compare it with today’s. Big leap between the first 2 and from 81′ to now.

    The digital revolution has really had a huge impact. I can shoot better video than this with my HD hand held (Which really is the size of my hand) even when I watched it in original resolution.

    Any one notice the 240Z in the parking lot? I have not seen one of those in a while.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Morten-Andersen/1223422816 Morten Andersen

    Where did it land? On a dried out lakebed?

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