Astronomy Picture of the Day
    


Liftoff of Space Shuttle Columbia
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Liftoff of Space Shuttle Columbia
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.

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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

Publications with keywords: space shuttle Columbia
Publications with words: space shuttle Columbia
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