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STS-3: Unique landing
Columbia's STS-3 mission is best remembered in the history books for its conclusion -- the first and so far only landing at the picturesque Northrup Strip at White Sands, New Mexico. In this post-flight presentation film, the crew describes the highlights of the March 1982 mission and shows some of the fun they had in orbit. The commander also tells how he accidentally "popped a wheelie" before bringing the nose gear down to the runway surface.

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STS-2: First reusable spaceship
Seven months after the successful maiden voyage of space shuttle Columbia, astronauts Joe Engle and Richard Truly took the orbiter back into space on mission STS-2. The November 12, 1981 launch demonstrated that the space shuttle was the world's first reusable manned spacecraft. Although their mission would be cut short, Engle and Truly performed the first tests of the shuttle's Canadian-made robotic arm. The crew tells the story of the mission in this post-flight presentation.

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STS-1: America's first space shuttle mission
The space shuttle era was born on April 12, 1981 when astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen rode Columbia into Earth orbit from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A. The two-day flight proved the shuttle could get into space as a rocket and return safely with a runway landing. Following the voyage of STS-1, the two astronauts narrated this film of the mission highlights and told some of their personal thoughts on the flight.

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Launch of New Horizons
The New Horizons spacecraft begins a voyage across the solar system to explore Pluto and beyond with its successful launch January 19 aboard a Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

 Full coverage

Stardust comes home
NASA's Stardust spacecraft returns samples of cometary dust to Earth with its safe landing in Utah on January 15.

 Full coverage

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Mission Archive: 2006

Japanese infrared space observatory goes into orbit
A new infrared telescope was put in orbit by Japan Feb. 21 to begin an 18-month mission to conduct a comprehensive all-sky survey that should detect light from up to ten million objects scattered throughout the Universe.
   FULL STORY
Japan launches air traffic, weather spacecraft
Air traffic controllers and meteorologists in Japan have a new tool at their disposal after the successful Feb. 18 launch of a new satellite that will conduct a dual mission to serve both communities for the next decade.
   FULL STORY
New satellite launched for DISH Network subscribers
With a booming burst of fire and smoke, a Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket began its journey toward orbit from the tranquil Pacific Ocean Feb. 15 on a mission to deploy a communications satellite that will become part of DISH Network's space-based broadcasting system.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
New Earth observer satellite launched into orbit
A first-class, four-ton Earth remote sensing satellite was orbited by Japan on Tuesday, setting off on a mission to help cartographers create more precise maps on a global scale, scientists in their search for natural resources and officials in response to disasters.
   FULL STORY
H-2A launch photo gallery
This collection of pictures shows the Japanese H-2A rocket being rolled to its pad and then launching the Advanced Land Observation Satellite. Images include views taken from onboard cameras mounted to the rocket.
   ENTER PHOTO GALLERY
Probe sets sail on voyage to the outer solar system
A supercharged Atlas 5 rocket carrying NASA's Pluto-bound New Horizons probe roared to life and vaulted away from Earth Jan. 19 on a three-billion-mile, nine-year voyage to the frigid edge of the solar system.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates
   IMAGES: ATLAS 5 ON THE PAD
   IMAGES: LAUNCH OF NEW HORIZONS!
   IMAGES: MORE LAUNCH PHOTOS
   VIDEO COVERAGE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: LIFTOFF OF NEW HORIZONS! SHORT | LONGER
VIDEO: LAUNCH AS SEEN FROM THE PRESS SITE PLAY
VIDEO: ALL FIVE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS JETTISON PLAY
VIDEO: NEW HORIZONS IS DEPLOYED FROM THIRD STAGE PLAY
VIDEO: POST-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH NASA LAUNCH MANAGER PLAY
VIDEO: WATCH POST-LAUNCH NEWS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
AUDIO: LISTEN TO THE NEWS CONFERENCE FOR iPOD

VIDEO: NARRATED FOOTAGE OF ATLAS 5'S LAUNCH CAMPAIGN PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED FOOTAGE OF NEW HORIZON'S CAMPAIGN PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S LAUNCH ATTEMPT IS SCRUBBED PLAY
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More pictures, video from New Horizons launch
As we wrap up the launch portion of our New Horizons coverage, we have posted some additional photo galleries of the Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 rocket blasting off. Also, various replays of the launch from pad cameras and ground trackers are available with the live liftoff audio and commentary in our Spaceflight Now Plus premium service.
   IMAGES: LOCKHEED MARTIN (part 1)
   IMAGES: LOCKHEED MARTIN (part 2) - new!
   IMAGES: SPACEFLIGHT NOW'S PHOTOS
   IMAGES: NASA'S LAUNCH PICTURES - new!
   VIDEO COVERAGE
   ATLAS LAUNCH ARCHIVE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE ATLAS 5 LAUNCH EXPERIENCE SMALL | MEDIUM | LARGE
VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD BASE CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO: FACING THE FLAME TRENCH PLAY
VIDEO: CLOSE-UP OF BOOSTERS AT IGNITION PLAY
VIDEO: CAMERA ON ATLAS 5 ASSEMBLY HANGAR PLAY
VIDEO: ROOF OF SPACE SHUTTLE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING PLAY
VIDEO: TRACKER MONITORS ENGINES DURING FLIGHT PLAY
VIDEO: THE UCS 15 GROUND TRACKING CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO: PLAYALINDA BEACH TRACKER FOLLOWS ROCKET PLAY
VIDEO: TRACKER SHOWS THE VEHICLE'S ROLL PROGRAM PLAY
VIDEO: VIEW FROM SHUTTLE COUNTDOWN CLOCK PLAY
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