The decision to build a space shuttle was taken by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in the 1970s. Though it wasn’t until 1981, after much testing, that the first true space shuttle, Columbia, made its first flight. The first four flights of Columbia were trials where various systems and manoeuvres were tested by a crew of two.

First Flights The decision to build a space shuttle was taken by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in the 1970s. Though it wasn’t until 1981, after much testing, that the first true space shuttle, Columbia, made its first flight. The first four flights of Columbia were trials where various systems and manoeuvres were tested by a crew of two.

During the 1980s, three more orbiters were built, the Discovery, Atlantis and the Challenger. In 1986, on the twenty-fifth shuttle launch, the Challenger tragically blew up soon after taking off on its own tenth flight. When the Challenger blew up, it etched brilliant yellow traces against the blue sky for all to see. It was carrying 126 astronauts into space and launching 28 satellites. One of the two powerful solid fuel boosters had sprung a leak at a point where the two sections of the casting joined together. A tongue of escaping flame burned through the main tank and ignited the fuel, blowing the vehicle apart. Out of this catastrophe NASA leant a very important lesson and since then they have carried out a big program of improvements and had a major change in attitude. Read on if you would like to download some movie clips. BACK TOP

Movie Clips of the Challenger accident