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Credit & Copyright: NASA
Explanation:
Rocket engines blazing,
the Space Shuttle Columbia
arcs into Florida's morning sky
after lifting off from pad 39-A at
Kennedy Space Center.
Seen here in January of 1996, this space shuttle
has been operational for more than 15 years -- racking up
20 flights and over 77 million miles in orbit while spending 177 days
in space.
The first member of NASA's shuttle fleet, Columbia shares it name with
another famous spacecraft launched from pad 39-A,
the Apollo 11 command module.
Having begun its career
with STS-1 in April of 1981, Columbia,
also kown as
orbiter vehicle 102 (OV-102),
is now being prepared for
the STS-80 mission scheduled to launch this month.
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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
See also: