Discovery launched on mission STS-103 from Pad 39B at John F. Kennedy Space Center, to service the Hubble Space Telescope. The nighttime is a spectacular backdrop to the beginning of the mission. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Florida Space Coast History Project and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Discovery launching for STS-95 mission from Launch Pad 39B at John F. Kennedy Space Center, in Merritt Island, Florida, with research payloads. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Florida Space Coast History Project and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Challenger disaster, primary contractor Morton Thiokol redesigned the solid rocket boosters for the shuttle. This photograph features a static test of the redesigned rocket booster for flight qualification and was conducted at the manufacturer facility in Utah. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Columbia launching from Launch Complex 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Discovery launched from Launch Pad 39B at John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, with the main objective to deploy the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-C). The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Atlantis touching down at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in California after its initial mission. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Columbia from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-9 on November 28, 1983. Also known as STS-41A and Spacelab 1, STS-9 was the first flight carrying the European Space Agency's (ESA) Spacelab. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Discovery launched from Launch Pad 39B at John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, with the main objective to deploy the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-C). The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Atlantis touching down at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in California after its initial mission. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Columbia from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-9 on November 28, 1983. Also known as STS-41A and Spacelab 1, STS-9 was the first flight carrying the European Space Agency's (ESA) Spacelab. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Discovery on Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Enterprise being taken via crawler-transporter to John F. Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A for a facilities verification test. Enterprise was not used for space flight, but rather for a series of landing tests after being flown to altitude on the back of a Boeing 747 jet. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Enterprise landing at Dryden Flight Research Center (present-day Armstrong Flight Research Center) at Palmdale, California. Enterprise was not used for space flight, but rather for a series of landing tests after being flown to altitude on the back of a Boeing 747 jet. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Enterprise during the Approach and Landing Tests. Photographed, from left to right, are Crew 1 Pilot C. Gordon Fullerton (1946-2013), Crew 1 Mission Commander Fred Haise (1933-), Crew 2 Mission Commander Joe Engle (1932-), and Crew 2 Pilot Richard H. Truly (1937-).

Rockwell International built the Space Shuttle Fleet in Palmdale, California. Enterprise was not used for space flight, but rather for a series of landing tests after being flown to altitude on the back of a Boeing 747 jet. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]>
Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Columbia, the first operational Space Shuttle, landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility of John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, atop a Boeing 747 transport airplane. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system that was mostly reusable, as the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters were reused multiple times. Space shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. Columbia launched for the first time on April 12, 1981, and completed 27 missions before disintegrating during re-entry at the end of STS-107, its 28th mission, on February 1, 2003. Known as the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, the accident resulted in the death of all seven crew members: Mission Commander Rick Husband (1957-2003), Pilot William C. McCool (1961-2003), and Mission Specialists David M. Brown (1956-2003), Kalpana Chawla (1962-2003), Michael P. Anderson (1959-2003), Laurel Clark (1961-2003), and Ilan Ramon (1954-2003).]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Challenger disaster, many systems were upgraded to return the Space Shuttles to flight. As part of those upgrades, the main engines were redesigned and then tested by a static firing at John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the first space launch system, which was mostly reusable (the shuttles themselves and the solid rocket boosters). Shuttles were launched from Launch Complex 39A and Launch Complex 39B at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.]]> Chronopoints]]> Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Episode 47 features a discussion of the spacesuit worn by astronaut John Watts Young, which is now housed at the Orange County Regional History Center in Downtown Orlando, Florida. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Amy Foster of the University of Central Florida and Cathleen Lewis Lewis of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.]]>
https://youtu.be/s3dqTz7MrbI.]]> RICHES]]> Orange County Regional History Center]]> Florida Memory Project]]> Internet Archive]]> National Aeronautics and Space Administration]]> RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida.]]> A History of Central Florida Collection, RICHES Podcast Documentaries Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Flash Player]]> Java]]> RICHES.]]> RICHES]]>