![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A15.jpg\" "\\"A15\\"")
On March 25, 1975, engineers at Rockwell began long-lead fabrication of Columbia\u2019s aft fuselage. This was followed on November 17 by the start of long-lead fabrication of Columbia\u2019s crew module.<\/p>\nApril 12, 1981: the 20th anniversary of the first manned spaceflight in history. On that morning, a new generation of spaceship stood poised for launch from complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. Representing a completely new and innovative approach to spaceflight, the Space Shuttle program embarked on its first mission that mid-April morning. Utilizing pioneer orbiter Columbia, the world\u2019s first reusable spaceship would go on to fly 28 highly successful missions, bringing an unprecedented wealth of knowledge and unforgettable moments to the world community.<\/p>\n
The Early Years of Space Shuttle Columbia: 1981-1994:<\/p>\n
Named in honor of Captain Robert Gray\u2019s Boston-based sloop Columbia \u2013 which was used in the 1790s exploration of the Pacific Northwest, including the exploration of the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon, and became the first American vessel to circumnavigate the globe \u2013 and the Apollo 11 Command Module, the contract to begin construction on OV-102 (Orbiter Vehicle 102) was awarded to Rockwell International on July 26, 1972 \u2013 the same day the contract to construct STA-099 (later orbiter Challenger) was awarded.<\/p>\n
This date is somewhat of an odd occurrence, as it would be on this day 33-years later (July 26, 2005) that sister orbiter Discovery would launch on the first Space Shuttle mission following the loss of Columbia.<\/p>\n
On March 25, 1975, engineers at Rockwell began long-lead fabrication of Columbia\u2019s aft fuselage. This was followed on November 17 by the start of long-lead fabrication of Columbia\u2019s crew module.<\/p>\n
Assembly formally began on the crew module the following year on June 28, followed on September 13 by the start of assembly on the aft fuselage.<\/p>\n
On December 13, 1976, engineers began assembling Columbia\u2019s forward fuselage. After a quick break for the end of the year holidays, crews returned and immediately began assembly of the vertical stabilizer on January 3, 1977.<\/p>\n
By August 26, Columbia\u2019s distinctive delta wings were on-dock at Palmdale, CA from Grumman. On October 28, the lower fuselage was also on-dock at Palmdale.<\/p>\n
Final assembly of Columbia began on November 7, 1977. Her Body Flap arrived at Palmdale three months later on February 24, 1978, as did her Payload Bay door segments on April 28.<\/p>\n
NASA mission updates (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n On February 3, 1979, technicians completed combined systems testing on Columbia and proceeded on to completion of airlock door installation by February 16 as well as vehicle post-checkout completion by March 5.<\/p>\n From there, crews conducted closeout inspection and procedures for final acceptance at Palmdale by March 8.<\/p>\n On this same day, Columbia rolled out of her Palmdale construction facility and was transported overland to Dryden for her official unveiling ceremony and mating to the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) for the start of the ferry flight to Kennedy on March 9.<\/p>\n With Columbia finally mated, Dryden ordered a short test flight of Columbia on the SCA to validate the aerodynamic properties of the mated duo. This was done in large part due to the fact that 7,800 of Columbia\u2019s 31,000 TPS (Thermal Protection System) tiles were still uninstalled.<\/p>\n The gaps in the TPS were filled with temporary materials to steady the vehicle\u2019s aerodynamic form.<\/p>\n On the afternoon of March 10, Columbia, perched atop the SCA, glided down the runway for the test flight. Even before the Shuttle\/SCA duo lifted off the ground, thousands of TPS tiles (both temporary and permanent) began streaming off the vehicle.<\/p>\n With the test flight aborted, Columbia was taken to the MDM, taken off the SCA, and rolled into a hanger at Edwards.<\/p>\n Over 100 men and woman spent the next nine days removing and reapplying the dummy TPS tiles with a new adhesive agent and bonding method, which required drilling holes into the corners of the tiles.<\/p>\n The new adhesion method was successfully tested on a T-38 on March 18, and Columbia was cleared for transport to Kennedy on March 19\/20.<\/p>\n However, the timeline was not to be as a powerful Pacific northwest storm forced a delay to the take-off until March 20.<\/p>\n That placed the storm, which swept across the continental US, in front of Columbia. Since the teams transporting Columbia could not traverse the storm because of strict safety rules (still in place today), they were forced to wait out the storm at various air force bases in the US.<\/p>\n On March 20, Columbia was transported from Edwards Air Force Base, CA to Biggs Air Force Base in El Paso, TX when bad weather prevented a scheduled landing and refueling in San Antonio.<\/p>\n The following day, in less-than-ideal weather, Columbia reached San Antonio where she remained for the night.<\/p>\n On March 23, Columbia entered her home state of Florida and was brought to Eglin Air Force Base. Then, on the morning of March 24, Columbia departed Eglin en route to Kennedy.<\/p>\n On March 25, one day after her arrival at Kennedy, Columbia was rolled into OPF-1 (Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1). She was destined to spend 610 days in the OPF undergoing processing for STS-1. This 610-day stay in the OPF is the longest any Shuttle orbiter has ever spent in the OPF for flight-specific processing.<\/p>\n Work immediately began to reapply certain portions of the Columbia\u2019s TPS with new bonding agents, as well as complete bonding of the now-missing ~9,000 TPS tiles. As work continued in 1979, Columbia\u2019s Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) were installed and hot fire tested inside OPF-1 on November 3. Integrated Orbiter testing of all of Columbia\u2019s systems began on December 16, 1979 and finished on January 12, 1980.<\/p>\n TPS and final flight preparations continued through 1980 as did SRB (Solid Rocket Booster) and ET (External Tank) stacking and mating.<\/p>\n Then, after 19 months in the OPF, Columbia was ready to roll to the VAB for mating with ET-2. Rollover occurred in the morning hours of November 24, 1980.<\/p>\n Receiving a passing grade on integrated ops, Columbia and the STS-1 stack were rolled out to Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) on December 29, 1980 ahead of a spring launch.<\/p>\n As mid-February 1981 arrived, teams at Pad-A began prepping the vehicle for the wet countdown dress rehearsal and Flight Readiness Firing (FRF) of her three Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs).<\/p>\n The wet countdown dress rehearsal gave Launch Teams an opportunity to practice and refine the procedures they would use during Columbia\u2019s actual launch countdown as well as test the effectiveness of the newly installed and added Gaseous Oxygen Vent Arm\/System \u2013 which was added to the launch pad structure to prevent ice buildup on the top of the ET following pad testing by orbiter Enterprise a few years earlier.<\/p>\n The test provided valuable insight for the launch team and culminated on February 20, 1981 when Columbia\u2019s engines ignited and burned for 20 seconds.<\/p>\n With a successful FRF, Columbia\u2019s maiden flight was then set for March. However, a series of issues, including the asphyxiation deaths of two Rockwell technicians on March 19 following a countdown rehearsal, pushed the launch to April 5, then April 7, and then April 10 to verify TPS foam fixes to Columbia\u2019s External Tank.<\/p>\n With the final postponement, launch was set for 0650 EST 10 April 1981.<\/p>\n On April 10, the countdown went well and all was on schedule for an on time liftoff. Columbia\u2019s crew, Commander John Young (who was standing on the surface of the moon when the Space Shuttle Program was authorized by Congress) and Pilot Bob Crippen, boarded the vehicle, and the countdown reached the T-9min and holding mark. During this hold, teams in Houston and Kennedy continued to work a timing skew between Columbia\u2019s redundant computers (4 total) and the backup computer (the 5th computer).<\/p>\n The issue, which appeared at T-20mins, occurred when the computers transitioned to launch mode from pre-launch mode. Communication between the redundant computers and the backup computer failed to occur at this time.<\/p>\n The countdown was recycled to T-20mins, but the backup computer failed to signal the redundant computers. Computer techs in Houston discovered a 40-millisecond slew between the timing of the backup computer and the redundant computers.<\/p>\n Reprogramming the computers would correct the issue, but the reprogramming would take one day to complete. Thus, the launch was scrubbed and rescheduled for 0700 EST 12 April 1981.<\/p>\n At T-25secs, the Ground Launch Sequencer handed off control of the countdown and vehicle systems to Columbia\u2019s computers.<\/p>\n Then, at T-3.8secs, the commands to start Columbia\u2019s 3 SSMEs were issued and all three engines steadily built to 90 percent of rated thrust by T+0.24secs.<\/p>\n At T+2.88 seconds, the command to ignite Columbia\u2019s SRBs was issued, as were the commands to blow the eight SRB hold down bolts and disconnect the three T0 umbilicals (two attached to Columbia\u2019s aft \u2013 through which the Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Hydrogen were loaded in Columbia\u2019s External Tank \u2013 and one on the ET through which gaseous hydrogen was safely vented from the ET) attached to the vehicle.<\/p>\n At this moment, the countdown reverted back to T0.<\/p>\n At 07:00:03 EST, the Space Shuttle Columbia \u2013 the most complex machine ever built \u2013 left LC-39A, on only its second launch attempt after 105 days on the launch pad, to inaugurate the Space Shuttle Program. Liftoff of STS-1 occurred exactly 20 years to the day of the first manned space flight by Yuri Gagarin.<\/p>\n Clearing the launch tower, Columbia executed a perfect roll\/pitch\/yaw maneuver to place herself on the proper alignment for a 40.3 degree 166nm orbit.<\/p>\n Due largely to the unflown nature of the entire Shuttle stack, Columbia\u2019s ascent profile was slightly higher in altitude than expected, prompting mission controllers in Houston to inform the crew that they\u2019d be \u201ca little high at staging.\u201d<\/p>\n After 2mins 12secs, the SRBs separated from the ET and successfully parachuted into the Atlantic ocean off the coast of Daytona Beach.<\/p>\n At 8mins 32secs after liftoff, Columbia\u2019s SSMEs were commanded to MECO (Main Engine Cutoff) and the vehicle entered its preliminary orbit \u2013 thus accomplishing one of the three primary mission objectives: to achieve a safe ascent to orbit.<\/p>\n The observed loss of TPS tiles on the OMS pods raised the concern that TPS tiles on the underside of Columbia \u2013 a much more critical heat management area during atmospheric reentry \u2013 could prove dangerous and complicating.<\/p>\n Despite this concern, the mission pressed ahead and Young and Crippen tested Columbia\u2019s flight systems successfully on FD-1 (Flight Day 1) and FD-2 \u2013 including the pre-entry checklist to prepare and test Columbia\u2019s systems for reentry on FD-3. This accomplished the second of three primary mission objectives.<\/p>\n To this end, the only payload carried by Columbia on STS-1 was the Development Flight Instrumentation (DFI) package, which recorded orbiter stresses and performance during launch, orbit, and entry\/descent\/landing.<\/p>\n At 10:18 PST, Columbia announced her arrival back to Earth with a thunderous double sonic boom. Two minutes later, at 10:20:57 PST, Columbia gracefully plopped down on runway 23 at Edwards to cap off STS-1.<\/p>\n Columbia was returned to the Kennedy Space Center on April 28 where she was moved into OPF-1 to undergo pre-mission processing, including the reapplication of TPS tiles lost\/damaged in the STS-1 launch.<\/p>\n On August 10, 1981, Columbia was rolled out of the OPF and over to the VAB for mating with ET-3. After 21-days in the VAB, Columbia and the STS-2 stack was rolled out to LC-39A on August 31 ahead of an October 9 targeted launch.<\/p>\n Pre-launch preparations continued on track for November 4 and the countdown began on time and proceeded without major issue until the GLS (Ground Launch Sequencer) issued a hold due to a low reading on Fuel Cell oxygen tank pressures.<\/p>\n During this extended hold, high oil pressures were discovered in two of three APUs that operate Columbia\u2019s hydraulic systems. The launch was scrubbed and the APU gear boxes flushed and their filters replaced.<\/p>\n Launch was rescheduled for Nov. 12 at 07:30 EST. On that day, the launch was delayed 2hrs 40mins to replace a multiplexer-demultiplexer and review the system\u2019s status.<\/p>\n Liftoff of STS-2 marked the first time that a manned spacecraft was re-flown into space (thus proving the reusability concept of the Shuttle) and the first and ONLY time that an all rookie crew (Commander Joe Engle and Pilot Richard Truly) flew aboard the Space Shuttle.<\/p>\n After STS-2, NASA instituted a rule that the Commander of any given Space Shuttle mission had to have prior spaceflight experience.<\/p>\n The launch also represented the first use of the modified (beefed up) Sound Suppression water system following the overpressure wave event on STS-1. This time, no TPS tiles were lost and only 12 were damaged.<\/p>\n Once on orbit, Engle and Truly began configuring Columbia\u2019s cockpit for a planned five (5) day mission, with mission objectives to validate the safe ascent, orbital ops, and entry profile of the orbiter as well as initial testing of the SRMS.<\/p>\n Columbia flew with a multitude of payloads, including a re-flight of the DFI and the Orbital Flight Test Pallet (with the Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellite experiment, the Shuttle Multispectral Infrared Radiometer experiment, the Shuttle Imaging Radar experiment, the Features Identification and Location Experiment, and the Ocean Color Experiment).<\/p>\n Shortly after Columbia obtained a stable orbit, a problem with one of the ship\u2019s electricity and water producing Fuel Cells forced the shutdown of one Fuel Cell. Under flight safety rules, a Minimum Duration Flight (MDF) was ordered and the mission was shortened from 5days to 2days \u2013 with all SRMS activities cancelled.<\/p>\n However, after the start of a scheduled sleep period, and when the Shuttle was out of contact with Mission Control, Engle and Truly remained awake and performed initial SMRS checkout and validation operations.<\/p>\n In all, 95 percent of STS-2\u2019s mission objectives were accomplished and deemed successful despite the shortened mission.<\/p>\n STS-2 landed on runway 23 at Edwards Air Force Base on November 14, 1981 at 13:23:11 PST. The vehicle was returned to KSC on November 25 where Columbia underwent 70-days of OPF processing for STS-3.<\/p>\n She was mated to her ET on February 3, 1982 and moved to Pad-A on February 16 ahead of a planned March 22 launch date.<\/p>\n Pad processing and launch countdown ops proceeded with few issues. On March 22, the launch countdown was held for one hour while crews replaced a failed nitrogen gas line heater for the ground support equipment.<\/p>\n Columbia accomplished all of her mission objectives during STS-3, which included demonstration of the safe re-flight of the orbiter and Shuttle systems, thermal tests on orbit by pointing Columbia\u2019s nose, tail, and upper surfaces at the sun for varying periods of time, and continuing testing of the SRMS.<\/p>\n Columbia once again carried the DFI package and the Office of Space Science 1 pallet.<\/p>\n For the first time in Shuttle Program history, several experiments were carried within Columbia\u2019s middeck lockers and were available to her flight crew.<\/p>\n Initially, STS-3\u2019s landing was planned for Edwards, but this was changed after launch to White Sands Missile Range (later Space Harbor), NM when wet conditions on the lake-bed runways at Edwards prevented a safe landing.<\/p>\n The planned seven day mission was extended for one day when winds at White Sands proved unfavorable for landing.<\/p>\n In what was one of the more dynamic landings in the Program\u2019s history, Columbia\u2019s autopilot malfunctioned and ordered the orbiter\u2019s speed brake closed by final approach, thereby increasing the vehicle\u2019s speed during final approach after rolling out of the HAC (Heading Alignment Circle).<\/p>\n The autopilot was disengaged just prior to the pre-flare maneuver (when the orbiter\u2019s nose begins to pull up out of the final approach dive).<\/p>\n With one of the more dramatic landings in the Shuttle program, Columbia\u2019s landing gear was deployed at only 150-ft elevation and was locked into place only 5-seconds prior to touchdown \u2013 much later than the usual 17- 12-seconds prior to landing.<\/p>\n Columbia hit the runway at 09:04:46 MST and began rolling out. As customary, Columbia\u2019s main landing gear contacted the runway first, and the Commander began lowering the nose gear. To the surprise of all, just before the nose gear touched, Columbia suddenly pulled a wheelie as her nose gear rose sharply and abruptly.<\/p>\n As a result of the fast touchdown speed and irregular landing gear touchdowns, Columbia\u2019s rollout distance was the longest of any mission (through STS-132 \u2013 May 2010) in history at 13,737 feet over 84 seconds.<\/p>\n STS-3 also ended a long-standing tradition within NASA to name backup crews to each spaceflight.<\/p>\n Upon post-flight inspections, signification brake damage and dust contamination of Columbia was found as a result from her landing on the desert runway.<\/p>\n Columbia was returned to the Kennedy Space Center on April 6 and spent April 7 \u2013 May 19 (44 days) in OPF-1 for pre-flight processing for STS-4. This would be the shortest OPF processing flow for Columbia in her operational history. STS-4 was also the first Space Shuttle mission to carry a classified payload (this time for the US Air Force) and represented the final Research and Development Test Flight.<\/p>\n During the flight, Columbia\u2019s two person crew used the Induced Environment Containment Monitor payload to test the SRMS under loaded conditions, participated in medical experiments on themselves, and photographed lightening activity in Earth\u2019s atmosphere.<\/p>\n Columbia spent just over 7 days in space on STS-4 before reentering Earth\u2019s atmosphere and landing on Independence Day 1982 in front of then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan, a gathered crowd of thousands at Edwards Air Force Base, and newly completed sister ship Challenger who was awaiting the start of her delivery ferry flight to KSC until after Columbia\u2019s landing.<\/p>\n STS-4 marked the final time that the Shuttle flew with only two crewmembers. All future missions would carry at least four people.<\/p>\n Columbia returned to KSC on July 15 and spent 56-days in the OPF. The STS-5 stack reached Pad-A on September 21, 1982 ahead of a planned November 11 launch.<\/p>\n During the course of the five-day mission, Columbia\u2019s four-person crew deployed two commercial communication satellites (ANIK C-3 for Canada and SitS-C for Satellite Business Systems) and were scheduled to perform the program\u2019s first spacewalk (EVA).<\/p>\n However, a malfunction is the spacesuit (EMU) forced the cancellation of this objective. Sister Challenger\u2019s STS-6 mission would take on the responsibility of performing this EVA.<\/p>\n Columbia landed safely on November 16 at 06:33:26 PST on runway 22 at Edwards and was returned to KSC on November 22.<\/p>\n During this time, an airlock tunnel adapter was fitted to Columbia and sister orbiter Challenger joined the fleet.<\/p>\n Columbia was initially rolled to the VAB on September 24, 1983 and mated to her STS-9 ET\/SRB stack. The entire vehicle was then moved to Pad-A on September 28 ahead of an October 28 launch date.<\/p>\n During pad processing, a suspect exhaust nozzle on the right SRB was shown to be of a similar material as a nozzle that came dangerously close to a burn-through during STS-8. The problem was deemed unacceptable for flight and Columbia was rolled back to the VAB where she was destacked and returned to her OPF on October 20.<\/p>\n By November 3, the suspect exhaust nozzle was replaced and Columbia was restacked. STS-9 was returned to the pad on November 8.<\/p>\n Liftoff of STS-9 occurred on time on the first attempt November 28 at 11:00 EST and marked the first time that six people flew into space at the same time on the same vehicle.<\/p>\n STS-9 marked the first flight during which the SSMEs\u2019 nominal thrust percentage was 104.5 percent. All subsequent missions would use this as a baseline.<\/p>\n STS-9 was also the first Shuttle flight to be co-sponsored by two agencies: NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). The flight also marked the first flight of an ESA astronaut into space and the first flight of Spacelab.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" April 12, 1981: the 20th anniversary of the first manned spaceflight in history. On that morning, a new generation of spaceship stood poised for launch from complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. Representing a completely new and innovative approach to spaceflight, the Space Shuttle program embarked on its first mission that mid-April morning. Utilizing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29519,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40539","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40539"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40539"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40539\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40539"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40539"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40539"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A16.jpg\" "\\"A16\\"")
These segments were successfully mated together by July 7, and by September 11 her forward RCS (Reaction Control System) pod was completed.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A19.jpg\" "\\"A19\\"")
However, an initial oversight forced a delay to the start date of the ferry flight to March 10 when the hoisting sling on the Mate-Demate (MDM) device was found to still be in configuration for orbiter Enterprise and out of alignment for Columbia.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A18.jpg\" "\\"A18\\"")
During post-test inspections, it was discovered that nearly 4,800 dummy tiles and 100 permanent tiles had either been ripped off or dislodged from the vehicle.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A5.jpg\" "\\"A5\\"")
By the time Columbia arrived at the Kennedy Space Center, it was abundantly clear \u2013 despite highly optimistic schedules from NASA managers \u2013 that Columbia would not be able to meet a target November 1979 launch date.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/A326.jpg\" "\\"A3\\"")
Once hard mated, Columbia spent 35 days in the VAB undergoing detailed integrated vehicle testing with her SRBs and ET.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A20.jpg\" "\\"A20\\"")
The FRF resulted in slight changes to certain pre-launch procedures, most notably the time prior to SSME start that the ROFIs (Radial Outward Firing Initiators \u2013 or hydrogen burn-off system) are ignited. During the FRF for STS-1, the ROFIs were started at the same moment as SSME ignition. For STS-1 and all subsequent missions, the ROFIs were started 4.4-seconds prior to SSME ignition.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A4.jpg\" "\\"A4\\"")
On April 12, the countdown proceeded on schedule. At T-9mins and hold, the Gaseous Oxygen (GOX) Vent Arm was retracted from the top of the ET. (For all flights subsequent to STS-1, the GOX vent arm was retracted in a sequence beginning at T-2mins 55secs (the time of LOX \u2013 Liquid Oxygen \u2013 tank pressurization for flight) and ending at T-1min 30secs).<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A57.jpg\" "\\"STS-55")
STS-1\/Columbia also became the first American manned spacecraft to launch without an unmanned test flight. STS-1 was the first time that the entire Shuttle vehicle (Orbiter, SRBs, ET, SSMEs) were flown together, and the first time that any of these elements underwent an actual launch.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A17.jpg\" "\\"A17\\"")
Upon opening of Columbia\u2019s payload bay doors, it was observed that several TPS tiles were missing from Columbia\u2019s OMS (Orbital Maneuvering System) pods. This was directly tied to a larger-than-expected overpressure wave from the SRBs at ignition which caused the loss of 16 TPS tiles, with damage of 148 others.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A9.jpg\" "\\"A9\\"")
On April 14, Columbia\u2019s crew donned their launch\/entry suits and prepared the vehicle for reentry and landing at Edwards Air Force Base, CA.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A12.jpg\" "\\"A12\\"")
The October 9th date was rescheduled for November 4 following the spill of nitrogen tetroxide during the loading of the forward RCS pod.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A10.jpg\" "\\"A10\\"")
At 10:10 EST, exactly 7-months to the day after STS-1, Space Shuttle Columbia, under a revised launch countdown which placed SSME start at T-6.6seconds and SRB ignition at T0, lifted off from Pad-A to begin the second Space Shuttle mission.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A13.jpg\" "\\"A13\\"")
The mission was also the first to fly the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) and marked the second and LAST time that the Shuttle\u2019s External Tank was painted white. All subsequent missions would use unpainted tanks \u2013 thus creating the iconic and distinctive look of the Shuttle stack.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A11.jpg\" "\\"A11\\"")
During entry on November 14, Commander Engle input and manually flew 29 Programmed Test Inputs (PTIs) to test the limits of the orbiter\u2019s stability margins during hypersonic flight. The PTIs were later used for engineering modifications and baseline construction points for sister orbiters Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A22.jpg\" "\\"A22\\"")
At 11:00 EST, Columbia lifted off on STS-3. This marked the first time that the Space Shuttle launched on its originally intended launch date and the first time that the Shuttle itself was not responsible for any launch-day delays.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A24.jpg\" "\\"A24\\"")
Commander Lousma recognized the important value of gathering as much data as possible on the autopilot\u2019s condition and therefore left it engaged while keeping a watchful eye over the controls.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A23.jpg\" "\\"A23\\"")
With this landing, Columbia became the only Shuttle in history to land at White Sands, though STS-116\/Discovery in December 2006 came very close to diverting to White Sands until a last-minute hole in the weather opened at Kennedy.<\/p>\n
\n
\nThe STS-4 stack was rolled to Pad-A on May 26 and launch occurred on time on the first attempt on June 27, 1982. This marked the first time that the Space Shuttle launched precisely at its scheduled launch time.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A25.jpg\" "\\"A25\\"")
STS-4 also marked the first of only two Space Shuttle missions (the other being STS-51L\/Challenger) in which the SRBs were not recovered from the Atlantic Ocean. The STS-4 SRBs suffered from a parachute malfunction and were destroyed when they impacted the ocean at terminal velocity.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A26.jpg\" "\\"A26\\"")
No delays were experienced and Columbia lifted off on her 5th mission at 07:19 EST November 11 on the first \u201coperational\u201d flight of the Space Shuttle. Launch of Columbia on STS-5 marked the only time that one Shuttle orbiter would be used for five consecutive missions.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A27.jpg\" "\\"A27\\"")
Columbia then spent nearly a year in the OPF undergoing post-test flight processing and inspections, as well as pre-mission processing for STS-9.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/A28.jpg\" "\\"A28\\"")
This marked the first time a Space Shuttle was rolled back from the launch pad.<\/p>\n