By Ben Evans, on January 16th, 2021
@NASA, @Boeing & @AerojetRDyne wrap up final Green Run test of @NASA_SLS Core Stage on anniversary of Columbia’s last launch. […]
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By Ben Evans, on January 9th, 2021
OTD in 1990, Columbia launched STS-32, a mission which ticked off almost everything the shuttle could do: satellite deployment, retrieval, rendezvous & long-duration flight. And a highly classified birthday, too. […]
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By Ben Evans, on January 8th, 2021
35yrs ago this week, as storm-clouds of foreboding gathered ahead of the Challenger tragedy, a crew of Columbia escaped disaster not one, but twice. […]
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By Ben Evans, on December 2nd, 2020
OTD in 1990 (after a summer of delays & with PLT Guy Gardner’s hair smoothly combed), #Columbia flew the long-delayed ASTRO-1 mission to study the Universe. […]
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By Ben Evans, on November 28th, 2020
OTD in 1983, Columbia launched Spacelab-1, a precursor for today’s @Space_Station. And STS-9 CDR John Young’s knees were knocking all the way uphill. […]
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By Ben Evans, on October 20th, 2020
OTD in 1995, #Columbia flew #STS73 after record-tying 6 scrubbed launch attempts. Her crew that day included future ISS residents @Astro_Cady & @CommanderMLA. […]
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By Ben Evans, on September 9th, 2020
@NorthropGrumman has named its upcoming #NG14 Cygnus cargo mission in honor of #Columbia astronaut Kalpana Chawla. […]
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By Ben Evans, on August 9th, 2020
Today, 30yrs ago, in one of the shuttle program’s greatest photo-ops, Columbia and Atlantis passed each other on their respective treks out and back to the launch pad. But why? […]
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By Ben Evans, on July 4th, 2020
On 4 July 1982, the crew of STS-4 became the first U.S. astronauts to spend Independence Day in space. It also marked the date of their spectacular return to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Photo Credit: NASA
On the morning of 4 July 1982, a rapidly-moving black-and-white speck appeared on the horizon at Edwards […]
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By Ben Evans, on January 12th, 2020
“Mission Impossible” finally launches as Columbia roars into the darkened Florida skies on 12 January 1986. Photo Credit: NASA
The opening weeks of each year are always tinged with sadness for America’s space program, as the nation observes a triplet of cruel anniversaries: the 1967 loss of Apollo 1 astronauts Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Ed […]
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