14th April 1981 space shuttle Columbia completes first test flight.

[Gargoyle_Steve]

America's first operational space shuttle, Columbia, landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California after its first test flight. She was the first shuttle to reach space after launching on April 12th, and in that first flight she orbited the earth 36 times.

Amazing to think how much has happened since then....
Space Shuttle Columbia flew 28 flights, spent 300.74-days in space, completed 4,808 orbits, and flew 125,204,911 miles in total, including its final mission. It is the only spaceworthy shuttle to have never visited either the Russian Space Station Mir or the ISS while those stations have been in operation.

On February 1st 2003 Columbia broke apart in flames over Texas during re-entry and landing procedures at an altitude of approximately 39 miles (63 km) and a speed of 12,500 mph (5.6 km/s).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Columbia

[matt]

She was a beauty, Steve.

Thanks for noting this anniversary,

[bird]

Yes, I watched the original flight, it was covered extensively on tv back then. Having just missed the Apollo missions cause I was too young this was the first real nasa manned mission I ever saw.

Bird

[Mick]

Thanks for posting Steve I remember it very well. I have a lot of news paper clippings from around that day. Attached are a few that you may find interesting.

Mick.

[Gargoyle_Steve]

Awesome newspaper clippings Mick! I so wish now I had thought to do that over the years ..... maybe I should start as of today, although I think I'm a bit late for so many wonderful events that have occurred over the years.

Cheers!