Spacecraft catalog
Destroyed

Unknown · National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first space-rated orbiter in NASA's Space Shuttle fleet. It launched for the first time on mission STS-1 on April 12, 1981, the first flight of the Space Shuttle program. Over 22 years of service, it completed 27 missions before disintegrating during re-entry near the end of its 28th mission, STS-107 on February 1, 2003, resulting in the deaths of all seven crew members.

Space Shuttle Columbia spacecraft

Configuration

Space Shuttle

Recorded flights

28

Time in space

292d 19h 32m 24s

Agency

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Vehicle profile

Carrying a crew of 7 astronauts along with cargo to Low Earth Orbit.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.