First Space Shuttle Launch - STS-1 (1981)

STS-1 was the first orbital flight of NASA&Space Shuttle, launched on 12 April 1981, and returning to Earth 14 April. Space Shuttle Columbia orbited the Earth 37 times in this 54.5-hour mission. It was the first American manned space flight since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project on 15 July 1975. STS-1 was the only US manned maiden test flight of a new spacecraft system, although it was the culmination of atmospheric testing of the Space Shuttle orbiter. Footage from "Hail Columbia!"