The Space Shuttle Program: Landmark Moments
The Space Shuttle rocketed into orbit for the 135th and final time this morning, with the Atlantis and its four crew members blasting off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, for the International Space Station. To mark the day, we look back at the key milestones in the Shuttle's 30-year career. [More]
-
The Shuttle’s First Flight
Columbia STS-1, the first functioning orbiter in the NASA Space Shuttle program, launches on April 12, 1981 with two astronauts on board, and returns to Earth on April 14, 1981. [More]
-
Challenger: The First Shuttle Spacewalk
Challenger, STS-6, launched on April 4, 1983, saw two firsts: It is the first mission to use Extravehicular Mobility Units, which allowed astronauts to spacewalk, tethered to the craft; and the first to deploy a satellite – the Tracking and Data Relay System. [More]
-
First Woman in Space: Sally Ride
Sally K. Ride is the first American woman to fly in space on June 18, 1983, aboard the Challenger, STS-7. "On launch day, there was so much excitement and so much happening around us [that] I didn’t really think about it that much at the time," she said in later years. "But I came to appreciate what an honor it was to be selected to be the first to get a chance to go into space." [More]
-
First African-American in Space: Guy Bluford
Guy Bluford is the first African-American to fly in space on August 30, 1983, aboard the Challenger, STS-8. Bluford told NASA it took him awhile to recognize the historical significance of his mission – my desire was to make a contribution to the program" – but he later embraced it: "I wanted to set the standard, do the best job possible so that other people would be comfortable with African-Americans flying in space and African-Americans would be proud …." [More]
-
Atlantis’ Maiden Flight
Atlantis launches into space on October 3, 1985 for its first mission, 51-J. Atlantis will perform the final mission of the shuttle program on July 8, 2011. [More]
-
Challenger Disaster
STS-8 Challenger launches on January 28, 1986 but a booster failure causes it to explode and break up just 73 seconds after lift off, killing all seven crew members. The Space Shuttle Program goes on hiatus for 32 months. [More]
-
The Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope, the largest and most advanced telescope of its kind, launches on April 24, 1990 while aboard Discovery. Hubble gives NASA the most detailed images of the universe ever made. [More]
-
Record-Breaking Endeavour
The first flight of Endeavour on May 7, 1992 involves a record-breaking four spacewalks, one of them the longest in space history, lasting more than eight hours. [More]
-
Columbia Disaster
Columbia launches from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 16, 2003. As it lifts off, a small portion of foam breaks away from the external fuel tank and strikes the craft's left wing, creating a hole in the wing's leading edge. This causes the vehicle to break apart during reentry to Earth's atmosphere on February 1. All seven crew members are killed. [More]
-
Discovery and the ‘Return to Flight’
Discovery becomes the first shuttle mission to orbit since the Columbia disaster. It launches on July 4, 2006, and successfully completes tests of new equipment and procedures, as well as a first-of-its-kind spacewalking repair. After 5.8 million mile jounrey, it touches down on Aug. 9 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. [More]
-
Endeavour’s Final Mission
On May 16, 2011 500,000 people attend Endeavour’s final launch. The 16-day mission, which includes a visit to the International Space Station, is commanded by Mark Kelly, husband of shooting victim Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Endeavour's next mission will be at the California Science Center. [More]