Tag: STS-1
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SpaceX got the fanfare, but Boeing’s first crew flight is still historic
If you want to know what it’s like to take a new spacecraft on its first test run in orbit, there are only three people in the Western world you can call. That fact should drive home the rarity of debuting a new human-rated spaceship. When Boeing’s Starliner capsule lifts off Monday night, this group…
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Roscosmos, NASA celebrate historic launch anniversaries while looking to the future
Today, Roscosmos is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Vostok-1 mission, which launched Yuri Gagarin and the first human spaceflight, while NASA simultaneously commemorates the 40th anniversary of the first launch of the world’s first reusable spacecraft, when John Young and Bob Crippen embarked on the most ambitious test flight in history aboard the shuttle…
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April 12, 1981: 35 years since the maiden space shuttle launch
America’s first space shuttle launched on this day 35 years ago as the reusable flying machine, Columbia, lifted off from Kennedy Space Center with John Young and Bob Crippen aboard. The launch came 20 years to the day after human spaceflight began. Yuri Gagarin launched aboard Vostok 1 to become the first person to orbit…
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Hugh Harris – The Voice of Shuttle Launch Control – Reflects
The voice of Hugh Harris provided countdown commentary for the brave new era of the Space Shuttle Program during his illustrious NASA career. Mr. Harris confirmed liftoff to audiences worldwide for the victorious debut launch of Columbia, the tragic loss of Challenger and the fightback of Discovery’s first Return To Flight mission. Starting at NASA:…
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Anniversaries: 50 years of human spaceflight – 30 years for Shuttle
April 12, 1961: Yuri Gagarin launches into orbit aboard Vostok 1 to become the first human being to travel into space. April 12, 1981: Space Shuttle Columbia proudly soars into the early-morning sky over Central Florida to a) become the first-ever reusable spacecraft, b) the first spacecraft to launch like a rocket and return like…