After NASA Overcame Challenges, Columbia’s Flight was ‘Textbook’

April 21, 2023

An early morning scene during March 1981 at the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A with the Space Shuttle Columbia poised for liftoff. — *An early morning scene during March 1981 at the Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A with the Space Shuttle Columbia poised for liftoff. Photo credit: NASA*

Maiden Flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia – Part 2

By Bob Granath

On April 12, 1981, the Space Shuttle Columbia lifts off from Launch Complex 39A with astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen. It was the beginning of a new era in space transportation. — *The Space Shuttle Columbia lifts off from Launch Complex 39A with astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen. Photo credit: NASA*

As clouds of smoke billowed into the air, the first Space Shuttle rose from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on April 12, 1981. The agency’s Space Shuttle team overcame years of setbacks and delays. The result was a first flight that met all the goals set for the mission. When astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen landed Columbia at Edwards Air Force Base two days later, it was called a “textbook flight.”

Following the postponement from two days earlier, the Space Shuttle team at the Florida spaceport was ready for a second try. The computer problem was solved and, this time, the countdown was flawless. More than a decade of development was ready to be put to the test.

More than 2,700 journalists gathered at Kennedy’s Press Site three miles from the launch pad. Along the Indian River Lagoon in Titusville and at Cocoa Beach, more than 600,000 spectators from every state in the union and many nations were standing by to watch.

“We had a really tremendous mission,” Young said. “It’s what we’ve been trying to do for the last 10 years. I think we have a fantastic, marvelous capability. The dream is alive again.”

The Crew

Onboard Columbia were two NASA astronauts who had trained since 1978.

*Selected as the STS-1 crew in early 1978, NASA astronauts John Young, left, and Bob Crippen trained longer for a space mission than any previous crew. Photo credit: NASA*

STS-1, or Space Transportation System-1, commander John Young was the agency’s most experienced astronaut. Born in San Francisco, California, he grew up in Cartersville, Georgia and Orlando, Florida. He graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1952 with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering.

A U.S. Navy aviator, Young was selected by NASA in 1962 as a member of the second group of astronauts. He flew as pilot of Gemini 3 in 1965, command pilot of Gemini 10 in 1966, command module pilot on Apollo 10 in 1969 and walked on the Moon as commander of Apollo 16 in 1972. Young would go on to command STS-9 in 1983. He also played a key role in helping select new teams of astronauts for both the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs.

Suited up in launch and entry space suits, STS-1 astronauts John Young, in front, and Bob Crippen depart the crew quarters at the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Photo credit: NASA

Crippen originally was selected as an astronaut for the U.S. military’s Manned Orbiting Laboratory, or MOL, Program, which was cancelled in 1969. MOL involved a small, single-use space station in which crews would launch and land in an advanced Gemini spacecraft. After the program was cancelled, many of the MOL astronauts transferred to NASA.

A native of Beaumont, Texas, Crippen earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering in 1960 from the University of Texas. He went on to become a Navy aviator and test pilot before becoming an astronaut. After STS-1, Crippen would go on to command three shuttle missions, STS-7 in 1983, as well as STS-41C and STS-41G, both in 1984. In addition to numerous positions in NASA management, he served as center director at Kennedy from January 1992 to January 1995.

For STS-1, Young and Crippen would become the first U.S. crew launched on a space vehicle without an uncrewed powered flight test. Additionally, it marked the first time that solid-fuel rockets were used for a NASA crewed launch.

‘I think we might really do it.’

During a NASA Oral History Project interview in 2006, Crippen emphasized he and Young were confident.

A modified Gulfstream II served as the Shuttle Training Aircraft allowing NASA astronauts to practice landing the Space Shuttle. “John and I had on the order of fifteen hundred landing approaches each before we flew that first flight,” said Bob Crippen. — *A modified Gulfstream II served as the Shuttle Training Aircraft allowing NASA astronauts to practice landing the Space Shuttle. Photo credit: NASA*

“The folks did a marvelous job coming up with that vehicle,” he said. “The ground-based simulators give you some idea of what it’s like to fly, John and I also had on the order of fifteen hundred landing approaches each (aboard the Shuttle Training Aircraft) before we flew that first flight.”

As the countdown neared the scheduled 7 a.m. EDT launch time on April 12, Crippen expressed faith that, this time, all would go well.

“We hadn’t run into any problems up to that point,” he said. “At about one minute to go, I turned to John. I said, ‘I think we might really do it,’ and about that time, my heart rate started to go up. Sure enough, the count came on down, and the main engines started. The solid rockets went off and away we went.”

*Powerful floodlights illuminate the Space Shuttle Columbia at Launch Complex 39A prior to its liftoff on STS-1. Photo credit: NASA/Eddie Harrison*

Columbia’s three main engines roared to life generating more than 42 million horsepower and six seconds later, the solid rocket motors ignited.

“Liftoff of America’s first Space Shuttle,” said NASA Public Affairs launch commentator, Hugh Harris.

The 4.5 million pound Space Shuttle cleared the 347-foot launch pad tower in seven seconds and was already traveling 100 mph. Simultaneously, control passed from the launch team at Kennedy to Mission Control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The twin solid rocket boosters performed better than expected; providing more than six million pounds of thrust, making them more powerful than 35 Boeing 747s at takeoff. The boosters were jettisoned at 2 minutes and 12 seconds after liftoff. Each descended on parachutes, splashing down offshore. Two ships and their crews were ready to retrieve the boosters and return them for re-use.

Providing more than six million pounds of thrust, the solid rocket boosters were jettisoned at 2 minutes and 12 seconds after liftoff. Each parachuted into the Atlantic Ocean for retrieval. Photo credit: NASA

After eight minutes and 34 seconds, the main engines shutdown and Columbia was in orbit.. The external tank was jettisoned 18 seconds later to break up in the atmosphere with any surviving debris impacting in the Indian Ocean.

“We (went) from sitting still on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center to orbit traveling at 17,500 miles an hour in eight and one-half minutes,” Crippen said. “It is still mind-boggling.”

Kennedy’s director, Dick Smith, had high praise for the team at the Florida spaceport.

“I extend my personal congratulations to each and every member of the Kennedy team for the successful first launch of the Space Shuttle,” he said. “We have come down along a sometimes bumpy road, but the results of our patience and effort can be seen today in every face in the NASA/industry team. The resounding success of the first flight is a legitimate source of pride for all of us.”

With one of the two expended solid rocket boosters in tow, the recovery ship, Liberty, heads toward Hangar AF at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (now Space Force Station). Liberty and Freedom are two identical ships built especially for the task of retrieving expended boosters and their parachutes. Photo credit: NASA

‘You’re go for on-orbit.’

In this view of the cargo bay of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia, several small thermal protection system tiles (seen in the clos-up inset) are missing from the rounded orbital maneuvering system pods that flank the vertical stabilizer. Photo credit: NASA

The next order of business for Young and Crippen was opening the 60-foot-long and 15-foot-wide payload bay doors so heat from onboard electronics could be released through the doors’ radiators. They must open no later than the end of the sixth orbit; otherwise, the shuttle must land. Crippen reported that the doors opened without problems.

“Boy, that is really beautiful out there,” Crippen said as he looked through windows in the aft crew module seeing into the cargo bay. “We do have a few tiles missing on both OMS (orbital maneuvering system) pods.”

Television images downlinked to Mission Control allowed experts to review where the tiles were missing. They agreed that those on the orbital maneuvering system pods would not be a problem.

During Columbia’s 36-orbit STS-1 mission, John Young is at the commander's station on the flight deck. As a loose leaf notebook floats in the weightless environment. — *During Columbia’s 36-orbit STS-1 mission, John Young is at the commander’s station on the flight deck. As a loose leaf notebook floats in the weightless environment. Photo credit: NASA/Bob Crippen*

“Personally, that didn’t cause me any great concern, because I knew that all the critical tiles, the ones primarily on the bottom, we’d gone through and done a pull test with a little device to make sure that they were snugly adhered to the vehicle,” Young said after the flight. “Some of them we hadn’t done, and that included the ones back on the OMS pods, and we didn’t do them because those were primarily there for reusability, and the worst that would probably happen was we’d get a little heat damage back there from it.”

With concern over the missing tiles set aside, astronaut Dan Brandenstein, the spacecraft communicator, known as capcom, radioed up news.

*“You’re go for on-orbit,” said astronaut Dan Brandenstein, the spacecraft communicator, known as capcom. Photo credit: NASA*

“Columbia, you guys did so good we’re going to let you stay up there for a couple of days,” he said. “You’re go for on-orbit.

A later television broadcast showed the crew at work in the crew module. Each had a great deal to say about their experience taking the Space Shuttle up for the first time.

“The flight, so far, has gone as smoothly as it could possibly go,” Young said: “We’ve done every test that we’re supposed to do and we’re up (on schedule with) the timeline. The vehicle is just preforming beautifully, better than anyone ever expected on our first flight.”

Crippen added similar thoughts.

*On the mid-deck of Columbia, STS-1 pilot Bob Crippen prepares a meal mounted on locker doors aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. Photo credit: NASA/John Young*

“It’s really been super,” he said. “The spacecraft has worked as advertised all the way along. I think we’ve got something that’s really going to mean something to the country and the world. This vehicle is performing like a champ. All of us that have worked so long knew that she would.”

The crew worked on NASA’s 114 test objectives the remainder of the first and second flight days. The primary goals were launch to orbit and return to Earth for a safe landing of the orbiter and crew. A Development Flight Instrumentation package contained sensors and measuring devices to record the orbiter’s performance and the stresses that occurred during launch, orbital flight, descent and landing to verify the shuttle’s space worthiness.

“On those initial flights, including the first one, we only had two people on board and there was a lot to do,” Crippen said. “We didn’t have any payloads, except for instrumentation to look at the vehicle.”

‘Welcome home, Skipper.’

On flight day three, Young and Crippen prepared for re-entry and landing at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Facility at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Crowds of almost a half million were on hand to see the first Space Shuttle touch down.

*Some of the 500,000 guests on hand to watch the Space Shuttle Columbia touch down at Edwards Air Force Base on April 14, 1981. Photo credit: Edwards AFB History Office*

Young fired Columbia’s two orbital maneuvering system engines to begin descent. Most of the first shuttle orbiter re-entry was flown automatically.

The silica thermal protection system was about to be put to the test. Re-entry heat exceeded 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit and the tiles did their jobs protecting the crew and orbiter’s aluminum skin that would melt at 320 degrees.

“It was kind of warm outside,” Crippen said describing re-entry. “Out the front window it was pretty. I’ve often likened it to flying down a neon tube, about that color of pink that you might see in a neon tube.”

As they went subsonic, Young took manual control for the remainder of the flight. When the main landing gear touched down on the runway, Columbia was still traveling 216 mph.

*“You’re right on the glide slope,” said capcom Joe Allen. “Welcome home Columbia.” Photo credit: NASA/George “Pinky” Nelson*

“Welcome home, Skipper,” said astronaut Jon McBride, noting Young’s role as chief astronaut. McBride was flying alongside Columbia in a NASA T-38 jet while astronaut George “Pinky” Nelson took photographs from the back seat.

“Want me to take it up into the hangar, Joe?” Young jokingly asked capcom Joe Allen since Columbia was rolling nicely on the runway.

“No, we’re gonna dust it off first,” said Allen, also an astronaut.

“Wheels stop on Columbia; that was super,” Young said with the 36-orbit mission complete, having flown 1,074,567 miles over two-days and six-hours.

Crippen described what happened next aboard the shuttle.

On April 14 1981, the rear wheels of the Space Shuttle Columbia touch down on Rogers dry lake at Edwards Air Force Base in California to successfully complete a stay in space of two days, six hours. Photo credit: NASA/George “Pinky” Nelson

“John unstrapped; climbed down the ladder to the middeck, climbed back up again; climbed back down again,” he said. “He couldn’t sit still, and I thought he was going to open up the hatch before the ground (crews) did. They finally opened up the hatch, and John popped out. I will never forget how excited John was. I completed my tasks and joined him a while later. But, he was that excited all the way home on the flight back to Houston.”

The astronauts and Columbia met or exceeded all fight test objectives. Former astronaut Deke Slayton, NASA’s Orbital Test Flight manager, summed up Columbia’s mission during a post-flight briefing.

“It was as perfect a mission as one could expect,” he said.

Astronaut Bob Crippen departs the Space Shuttle following touchdown of the Columbia at Edwards Air Force Base. At the foot of the ladder astronaut John Young had earlier exited the craft. Photo credit: NASA

“This is the best thing that ever happened to me,” Young said. “It’s what we’ve been trying to do for the las 10 years. I can’t tell you what a tribute this is to the American working man and woman. It’s all due to their individual efforts, proving they can do the job. They proved it for the world to see and I’m mighty proud to be associated with folks like that.”

Columbia returned to Kennedy from California atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft on April 28, 1981. Preparations began for STS-2. The back-up crew for the first flight, Joe Engle and Dick Truly, would be at the controls when the Space Shuttle proved its re-usability between Nov. 12-14, 1981.

U.S. Postal Service Honors Space Shuttle

On May 21, 1981, a first day of issue ceremony took place at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to mark the U.S. Postal Service releasing a set of postage stamps commemorating the Space Shuttle. STS-1 commander John Young is on the left and pilot Bob Crippen is on the far right. With them is artist Robert McCall who designed the artwork based on an original concept developed in 1978 by Bob Circosta, a NASA Public Affairs specialist at the agency’s Headquarters in Washington. Photo credit: NASA

‘Flagship’ of the Fleet

While five space worthy orbiters completed missions during the 30-year Space Shuttle Program, Columbia served as the “flagship” of the fleet during the next 22 years. Many scientific research missions utilized a space station precursor research facility called Spacelab.

Astronauts are at work in Spacelab module in the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-9 in November 1983. From the left ate Robert Parker, Byron Lichtenberg, Owen Garriott and West German physicist Ulf Merbold. The reusable laboratory was developed by the European Space Agency. Photo credit: NASA

The first mission of Spacelab was STS-9 launched aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on Nov. 26, 1983. The mission was commanded by Young, making his sixth spaceflight. The reusable laboratory was developed by the European Space Agency. Mounted inside the orbiter’s payload bay, Spacelab was attached to the crew module, giving crewmembers the opportunity to perform research and experiments in a “shirt-sleeve” environment. The workshop supported studies in biology, materials science, astronomy and other disciplines.

During the STS-61C flight of Columbia from Jan. 12-18, 1986, the crew included U.S. Rep. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) as a payload specialist. He was the first sitting member of Congress to fly in space. In May 2021, he went on to become NASA’s administrator.

One of the more important Columbia missions was STS-93 in July 1999. NASA astronaut Eileen Collins served as the mission’s commander, the first woman to do so. The primary objective for the flight was deployment of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, designed to observe deep space objects such as previously invisible black holes.

Astronaut Eileen Collins looks over a procedures checklist for the Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-93 in July 1999. Collins served as the mission’s commander, the first woman to do so. The primary objective for the flight was deployment of the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Photo credit: NASA

The Space Shuttle’s thermal protection system proved mission after mission that it could stand up to the heat of re-entry. However, the tiles remained fragile as demonstrated on STS-1. Columbia launched on its 28th mission, STS-107, on Jan. 16, 2003. At lift off, a small portion of foam broke away from the external fuel tank striking the orbiter and creating a hole in the left wing’s leading edge. During re-entry on Feb. 1, 2003, the orbiter broke up during re-entry and, tragically, the seven-member crew was lost.

As was the case after the Challenger accident in 1986, following an extensive investigation, future Space Shuttle missions were made safer. The changes included redesign of the external fuel tank’s thermal protection system to reduce loss of foam. Future missions took along an extension to the orbiter’s robotic arm to allow inspection of all areas of the orbiter, and astronauts aboard the International Space Station photographed the orbiters upon arrival.

Columbia’s Legacy

The first flight of Columbia will be remembered as the time NASA began utilizing low-Earth orbit to benefit humankind. No other launch vehicle – either in development or in operation today – could match the Space Shuttle’s capabilities. The missions ranged from deploying spacecraft, to retrieval and return of errant satellites, the repair of the Hubble Space Telescope, deployment of probes to study distant planets, dockings with the Russian space station Mir and assembly of the International Space Station.

*An automatic camera atop Launch Complex 39A captures a view of the Space Shuttle Columbia as it lifts off on its maiden flight. Photo credit: NASA*

At the recent Shuttlefest hosted by the American Space Museum in Titusville, former CNN correspondent John Zarrella explained what he sees as one of the lasting benefits of the Space Shuttle. He covered scores of the program’s missions during his time with the news network.

“I believe the shuttle’s most important legacy will be inclusion,” he said. “The shuttle opened spaceflight to more than test pilots.”

Zarrella noted that shuttle crews included women and minorities for the first time. In addition to pilots, mission specialists included medical doctors, engineers, scientists and even veterinarians. Crews also were made up of citizens from many other nations.

Crippen once noted that people often ask, “What was the best part of the flying the Space Shuttle?”

“The part between takeoff and landing,” he’d answer. “It was all great. Getting to look out at the Earth and see it, and going around it once every hour and a half, is phenomenal. It was all fantastic.”

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