On This Date…Feb. 28

#OTD in 2002…Atlantis launched the outward expansion of the space station’s truss backbone

America’s first space shuttle launched on this day 35 years ago as the reusable flying machine, Columbia, lifted off from Kennedy Space Center with John Young and Bob Crippen aboard.

#OTD in 1983…Challenger launched with America’s first woman astronaut. Watch the launch: