STS-1
First orbital Space Shuttle mission
STS-1 was the first orbital flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program and the first crewed flight of Space Shuttle Columbia. John Young and Robert Crippen launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 12, 1981, tested the new reusable in space, and landed at Edwards Air Force Base on April 14 after proving the shuttle's basic ascent, orbital, entry, and runway-landing profile.
Mission dossier
Flight profile, locations, hardware, and outcome in the same reference format used throughout the archive.
Flight profile
- Launch
- April 12, 1981
- Landing
- April 14, 1981
- Mission duration
- 2 days, 6 hours, 20 minutes, 53 seconds
- Orbits
- 36
- Inclination
- 40.3 degrees
Places and recovery
- Landing site
- Edwards Air Force Base, Runway 23
Mission record
- Mission type
- Orbital
- Vehicle
- STS-1 flight stack
- Orbiter
- Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102)
- Crew and station travelers
- 2
Assignment Manifest
The flight crew and the backup team assigned to train for this mission.
Prime crew
2 assignments
John W. Youngprime crewCommanderLaunched April 12, 1981Returned April 14, 19812 days, 6 hours, 20 minutes, 53 secondsCommander aboard STS-1 flight stack.Open astronaut archive
Robert L. Crippenprime crewPilotLaunched April 12, 1981Returned April 14, 19812 days, 6 hours, 20 minutes, 53 secondsPilot aboard STS-1 flight stack.Open astronaut archiveMission Purpose
3 sources- Launch Columbia safely into on the first orbital Space Shuttle test flight.
- Verify systems during ascent, orbit, entry, and runway landing.
- Collect development flight instrumentation data on vehicle performance and flight loads.
- Return Columbia and crew safely to Earth for post-flight inspection and reuse analysis.
Planned Flight Plan
3 sources- Launch
First shuttle ascent
Columbia was scheduled to launch from Launch Complex 39A with a two-person crew and no operational payload beyond flight-test instrumentation.
- Orbit
systems test
Young and Crippen checked flight-control, propulsion, thermal, payload bay, and crew systems during the first orbital shuttle test.
- Entry
Reusable spacecraft return
The mission plan required Columbia to perform deorbit, , unpowered approach, and runway landing after the orbital test period.
Mission Timeline
3 sources- April 10, 1981
Launch scrub
The first launch attempt was scrubbed because of a timing problem between Columbia's primary computers and backup flight software.
- April 12, 1981
Launch
Columbia launched from Kennedy Space Center on the first orbital Space Shuttle mission.
- April 12-14, 1981
Orbital test flight
The crew operated Columbia in orbit while flight instrumentation recorded the 's performance.
- April 14, 1981
Landing
Columbia landed at Edwards Air Force Base, completing the first orbital flight of the Space Shuttle program.
Open operation record