Credit & Copyright: NASA, Kennedy Space Center
Explanation:
On April 12, 1981, space flight entered a new era with the
first launch
of
Space Shuttle Columbia,
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
space going rockets.
For more information about NASA's Space Shuttle missions, see the NASA Space Shuttle Launches page.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day