Space Shuttle Columbia: Timeline

1979   The first fully functional space shuttle Space Shuttle

NASA [i]'s Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System , is the United States [i] ... 

 orbiter, ''Columbia'' Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space shuttle [i] in NASA [i]'s orbital fleet. ... 

, is delivered to the John F. Kennedy Space Center, to be prepared for its first launch.

1981   Three workers are killed and five injured during a test of the Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space shuttle [i] in NASA [i]'s orbital fleet. ... 

.

1981   The Space Shuttle Space Shuttle

NASA [i]'s Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System , is the United States [i] ... 

 program: Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space shuttle [i] in NASA [i]'s orbital fleet. ... 

 launches on the STS-1 mission, returning to Earth on April 14.

1981   The Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space shuttle [i] in NASA [i]'s orbital fleet. ... 

, piloted by Joe Engle and Richard Truly, lifts off for its second mission (STS-2).

1986   Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space shuttle [i] in NASA [i]'s orbital fleet. ... 

 is launched with the first Hispanic-American astronaut, Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz.

1989   STS-28: The Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space shuttle [i] in NASA [i]'s orbital fleet. ... 

 takes off on a secret 5-day military mission.

1998   NASA NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an agency of the United States Government [i], res ... 

 announces the choice of United States Air Force United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerospace [i] branch of the United States armed forces [i] and one o ... 

 Lt. Col. Eileen Collins as commander of a future Space Shuttle ''Columbia Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space shuttle [i] in NASA [i]'s orbital fleet. ... 

'' mission to launch an X-ray X-ray

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation [i] with a wavelength [i] in the range of 10 to 0.01 nanometre [i] ... 

 telescope, making Collins the first woman commander of a space shuttle Space Shuttle

NASA [i]'s Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System , is the United States [i] ... 

 mission.

2002   Space Shuttle ''Columbia Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space shuttle [i] in NASA [i]'s orbital fleet. ... 

'' flies the Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Space Telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope is a telescope [i] in orbit [i] around the Earth [i].... 

 service mission (STS-109), its last mission before STS-107.

2003   The Space Shuttle ''Columbia Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space shuttle [i] in NASA [i]'s orbital fleet. ... 

'' disintegrates over Texas Texas

Texas is a state [i] in both the Southern [i] and Western [i] ... 

 upon reentry, killing all 7 astronaut Astronaut

An astronaut, cosmonaut , spationaut or taikonaut is a person who travels into space [i] ... 

s onboard.

2005   The Space Shuttle Discovery Space Shuttle Discovery

Space Shuttle Discovery is one of three remaining spacecraft in the space shuttle [i] fleet belongi ... 

 is launched on its "Return To Flight" mission STS-114. This is the first Space Shuttle Space Shuttle

NASA [i]'s Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System , is the United States [i] ... 

 flight in nearly 2 1/2 years since the breakup of Space Shuttle ''Columbia Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space shuttle [i] in NASA [i]'s orbital fleet. ... 

'' on its return from mission STS-107.