On This Day March 22 1982 - NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia Launched on Its Third Mission (STS-3)

On this day March 22 1982 NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia was launched from Kennedy Space Center on its third mission STS-3. This was Columbia's final test flight before operational missions began marking another major step in the Space Shuttle program. The mission was piloted by Commander Jack Lousma and Pilot Gordon Fullerton and lasted eight days. During the flight the crew conducted scientific experiments tested the shuttle’s thermal systems and evaluated its ability to land at different locations. Columbia successfully landed at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico on March 30 1982 making it the only shuttle to land there due to wet conditions at Edwards Air Force Base.

80s insight: The STS-3 mission was originally planned for five days but was extended to eight due to a concern with landing conditions.