Flashback to Feb 1981 when NASA was preparing to launch the world's first reusable space vehicle.
Space Shuttle Columbia stands at
@NASAKennedy on the evening prior to the Flight Readiness Firing of the orbiter's main engines.
STS-1, completed on Apr 14, 1981, marked the beginning of a brand new chapter in human spaceflight that would span 30 years.
ALT On the right, Space Shuttle Columbia is lit by spotlights at Launch Pad A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center while on the left, the sun dips below the horizon in this photo taken at sunset on February 19, 1981. The scene, dominated by lavender clouds looming along the horizon, is reflected in a lagoon in the foreground.