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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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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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Quick-Look Mission Facts and Figures
COMPILED BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
Updated: July 15, 2006

The following chart is intended to serve as the front side of a convenient one-page "mission at a glance" data sheet. The back side can be found here. The PDF versions of both pages are formatted to print on a single page.

To make a one-page, front-and-back copy, download and print both pdf files. Run the front side through a copier and then reload the copy in the copier's paper tray "upside down." Put the second pdf copy on the copier and print. You should end up with a nifty one-page front-and-back mission "cheat sheet."

Changes and additions:
- Updating landing time; Reiter as ISS-13 crew member