Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102) was a Space Shuttle orbiter manufactured by Rockwell International and operated by NASA. Named after the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe, and the female personification of the United States, Columbia was the first of five Space Shuttle orbiters to fly in space, debuting the Space Shuttle launch vehicle on its maiden flight on April 12, 1981 and becoming the first spacecraft to be re-used after its first flight when it launched on STS-2 on November 12, 1981. As only the second full-scale orbiter to be manufactured after the Approach and Landing Test vehicle Enterprise, Columbia retained unique external and internal features compared with later orbiters, such as test instrumentation and distinctive black chines. In addition to a heavier aft fuselage and the retention of an internal airlock throughout its lifetime, these made Columbia the heaviest of the five spacefaring orbiters: around 1,000 kilograms heavier than Challenger and 3,600 kilograms heavier than Endeavour when originally constructed. Columbia also carried ejection seats based on those from the SR-71 during its first six flights until 1983, and from 1986 onwards carried an imaging pod on its vertical stabilizer.

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1981 Wikimedia, Wikidata
OV-102; OV102; Orbiter Vehicle 102; STS Columbia OV-102; Space Shuttle Columbia
former entity, Space Shuttle orbiter,

Location: KML, Cluster Map, Maps,

1981-04-12T00:00:00Z

1981 Space Shuttle Columbia

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Frameless

Astronaut Tom Jones uses the RMS to manipulate the Wake Shield Facility on STS-80 (STS080-337-026)

Mate and departure - NARA - 12042823

Stamp of Albania - 2001 - Colnect 372124 - History of Aviation

View of STS-9 Mission commander John Young eating food on the Columbia middeck.

Space Shuttle Columbia takes off during the STS-83 mission.

Columbia Launch

Space Shuttle Columbia landing during the STS-94 mission.

Space Shuttle Columbia and Comet Hale-Bopp (KSC-97pc571)

Space Shuttle Columbia

First launch of Space Shuttle Columbia

What Kind of Day Has It Been - episode of The West Wing (S1 E22)

Type	Subtype	Description	Source

incident	incident	[[1]]	Wikidata
commons	image	Astronaut Tom Jones uses the RMS to manipulate the Wake Shield Facility on STS-80 (STS080-337-026)	Commons
commons	image	Mate and departure - NARA - 12042823	Commons
commons	image	Stamp of Albania - 2001 - Colnect 372124 - History of Aviation	Commons
commons	image	View of STS-9 Mission commander John Young eating food on the Columbia middeck.	Commons
commons	image	Space Shuttle Columbia takes off during the STS-83 mission.	Commons
commons	image	Columbia Launch	Commons
commons	image	Space Shuttle Columbia landing during the STS-94 mission.	Commons
commons	image	Space Shuttle Columbia and Comet Hale-Bopp (KSC-97pc571)	Commons
commons	image	Space Shuttle Columbia	Commons
commons	image	First launch of Space Shuttle Columbia	Commons

Space Shuttle Columbia

From Spacefaring