After traveling 1,728,000 kms or 1,074,000 miles and completing 36 orbits, John Young and Robert Crippen glided Orbiter Columbia to smooth touchdown on the lakebed Runway 23 at Edwards AFB completing the first ever Space Shuttle mission STS-1, forty years ago today.
📼
@NASA
Old & New
SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance on historic Launch Complex 39A
Launch targeted for Wednesday November 3rd at 1:10 am EDT, 05:10 UTC
📸 for
@NASASpaceflight
The
@Space_Station
makes a sweeping, high pass as it orbits around our world, while Comet
#NEOWISE
continues on its celestial journey into the cosmos. ☄️
Hail Columbia!
Three Space Shuttle Main Engines, Two Solid Rocket Boosters, One Incredible moment in history forty years ago today with the launch of very first Space Shuttle on STS-1.
April 12, 1981
📼
@NASA
Remembering the final flight of Space Shuttle Columbia and STS-107 crew which launched 19 years ago today from Launch Complex 39A on a 16 day migrogravity research mission.
#ShuttleSunday
Gliding on Home.
After 2 days in space and completing 36 orbits, Space Shuttle Columbia returned to Earth, completing STS-1 on this day in 1981.
📼 NASA
April 29, 1991: Basking in the morning light, Space Shuttle Discovery touched down on Edwards Runway 22 in California at 9:49 am EDT, completing a historic 5 day mission, delivering Hubble Space Telescope to orbit.
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@NASA
Southbound with SAOCOM-1B 🚀
SpaceX Falcon 9 B1059.4 makes a historic step and dashes south, completing the first polar launch from Cape Canaveral since 1969.
Mission Story:
📸 A
@ChrisG_NSF
&
@NASA_Nerd
production.
Today in 2003, after 16 days in space and only 15 minutes from home, high in the skies over Texas, Columbia and her STS-107 crew were lost.
Hail Rick, William, Laurel, and David, Hail Michael, Kalpana and Ramon.
Hail Columbia.
📸
@NASA
A Ship Like No Other.
After 30 years of service, the Space Shuttle program came to end as the wheels stopped on Atlantis, completing the final mission, STS-135 on this day in 2011.
April 14, 1981: After a mission elapse of 2 days, 6 hours, 20 minutes, Space Shuttle Columbia began its final approach to Edwards Air Force Base in California & glided to a touchdown on Runway 23, successfully completing STS-1 and what would begin an incredible 30 year journey.
After a 15 day mission to the ISS, Discovery touches down on KSC Runway 33, successfully completing STS-131, this Orbiter's longest mission in the morning hours of April 20, 2010. This flight would also be the last 7 person crew of the Shuttle program.
#ShuttleSunday
📼
@NASA
39 years ago at this exact moment, 8:00:03 am EDT Three Space Shuttle Main Engines & Two Solid Rocket Boosters ignited together for the first time, launching the first flight of the Space Shuttle and Columbia, OV 102 with John W. Young & Robert Crippen.
#ShuttleSunday
🎥
@NASA
Five
@AerojetRdyne
Solid Rocket Boosters and a two-chamber single engine RD-180 lift
@ulalaunch
#Atlas551
off SLC-41. Each SRB produces 348,500 lbs of thrust along with the 860,200 lbs of thrust produced by the RD-180.
In seven days we will learn the names of the four astronauts who will launch on Artemis II. 🇺🇸👩🏼🚀🇨🇦
Not since Apollo 17 in December of 1972 have humans orbited the Moon.
Relive Artemis I launch day:
📸 for
@NASASpaceflight
Demo-2 Astronauts Bob and Doug are set to arrive at KSC this coming Wednesday! This is starting to feel real folks, and I can’t be any more excited for May 27th than I already am.
Photos taken during DM-1 Press Conference
#LaunchAmerica
We. Are. Going. Solid Rocket Booster Ignition.
SLS and Artemis I begin the journey to the Moon.
Check out the launch highlight video:
📸 for
@NASASpaceflight
It has been over 29 years since another Endeavour conducted a static fire of its own. The Flight Readiness Firing was held a month prior to its May 7th maiden voyage STS-49. This test would validate the overall performance of the main propulsion system.
#ShuttleSunday
📼
@NASA
ULA’s penultimate Delta IV Heavy rocket is set to launch the NROL-68 mission early Wednesday morning.
T-0 from SLC 37B at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, is expected at 3:29 AM EDT (07:29 UTC).
Article by William Graham (
@w_d_graham
).
📸 for
#OTD
in 1983, Sally Ride, America's first woman Astronaut launched into orbit onboard the Space Shuttle Challenger during mission STS-7. May her legacy and spirit live on and inspire others to continue the dream. 👩🚀
📼
@NASA
How has it been 18 years already?
David Brown, Laurel Clark, Michael Anderson, Ilan Ramon, Rick Husband, Kalpana Chawla, and William McCool.
Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-107
February 1, 2003
Remote cameras take a many photos during the launch capturring the dynamic moment.
In this frame only a dragonfly comes into view as Crew Dragon Endeavour leaped off the pad yesterday.
📸 for
@NASASpaceflight
Remembering my first launch I shot for
@NASASpaceflight
and the spectacular predawn show SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 4 displayed launching from SLC-40 on CRS-15, two years ago today.
It's incredible to work with so many talented, and dedicated individuals at NSF.
A pioneer and hero, Dr. Sally Ride became America's first women astronaut to be launched into space 38 years ago today when she flew onboard Space Shuttle Challenger during mission STS-7. 🧑🚀
February 24, 2011 4:53:24 pm EST marked the beginning of the end for the Space Shuttle Program as Space Shuttle Discovery, OV-103 made its final climb to Orbit on mission STS-133.
From the
@NASASpaceflight
Archives:
#ShuttleSunday
📽️
@NASA
40 years ago today, three Space Shuttle Main Engines roared to life for a critical 20 second Flight Readiness Firing.
This was the first and only time SSMEs were tested on the Orbiter prior to Columbia's maiden flight, STS-1.
More info:
📼
@NASA
Ice rains down like confetti, as the
@ulalaunch
Atlas 551 rocket is thrusted skyward on tail of fire from Space Launch Complex 41.
Prints and downloads available at and become a
@Patreon
to help support more space content at
“Not even gravity contains humanity when we explore as one for all”
From the footings of our greatest adventures, SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience, launches into a new era of human space exploration.
Mission Story
📸 A Chris & Nate Production
After 780 day on orbit the Orbital Test Vehicle
#X37B
landed at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility at 3:51am EDT Sunday morning.
#X37B
was launched by a
@SpaceX
#Falcom9
on Sept 17, 2017 and scheduled to make its sixth mission in 2020.
📸 Credit: US Air Force
I’ll never forget the overwhelming emotions I experienced witnessing my first launch!
May 31, 2008: Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-124. 🚀
📸 Credit: A much younger me!
Ten years ago today at 4:53:24 PM EST, the workhorse of the fleet, Space Shuttle Discovery, OV-103, began its 39th and final flight on mission STS-133.
Over its near 27 years of service, Discovery spent 365 days on orbit and carried 252 humans to space.
📼
@NASA