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STS-1 (Columbia)
The first flight of the Space Shuttle.
Mission Overview
A landmark in aviation: the first time a winged spacecraft launched like a rocket and landed like a glider. John Young and Robert Crippen tested the ceramic heat tiles and reusable design.
Learning from History
"It was the first time a new spacecraft was launched with humans on board without an uncrewed test flight first."
Mission Specs
| Year | 1981 |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Type | Crewed / Shuttle |
| Destination | Low Earth Orbit |
| Status | Success |
| Rocket | RS-25 (SSME) |