On this day November 12 1981, NASA made history with the launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS 2, marking the first time in history that a manned spacecraft was reused and launched into orbit twice. Commanded by astronaut Joe Engle with pilot Richard Truly, the mission proved that the shuttle program’s revolutionary design for reusable space vehicles could work, paving the way for a new era of space travel.
The STS 2 mission lasted just over two days and focused on testing Columbia’s performance during multiple operations in orbit. The shuttle carried several scientific instruments and performed the first operational tests of the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System, also known as the robotic arm. Despite a few technical challenges, the mission was a success and reinforced confidence in the shuttle program as the future of American space exploration.
80s insight: The relaunch of Columbia symbolized the bold innovation of the early 80s, when science and engineering came together to make spaceflight more advanced and achievable than ever before.
The STS 2 mission lasted just over two days and focused on testing Columbia’s performance during multiple operations in orbit. The shuttle carried several scientific instruments and performed the first operational tests of the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System, also known as the robotic arm. Despite a few technical challenges, the mission was a success and reinforced confidence in the shuttle program as the future of American space exploration.
80s insight: The relaunch of Columbia symbolized the bold innovation of the early 80s, when science and engineering came together to make spaceflight more advanced and achievable than ever before.
