Apr 12 1981
From The Space Library
NASA launched Space Shuttle Columbia, designated STS-1, from pad A of KSC's Launch Complex 39 at 3 seconds after 7 a.m. EST. All launch facilities, systems, and support equipment performed as designed; NASA said that damage to the launch pad was less than predicted. The solid-fuel rocket boosters (SRBs) jettisoned after burnout fell within the predicted impact "footprint" in the Atlantic about 14 nautical miles northeast of KSC, splashing down 7 minutes and 100 seconds after liftoff. All the SRB parts were recovered for reuse except two of the six parachutes.
The external tank separated at 8 minutes and 58 seconds into the flight and began to break up at about a 280,000-foot altitude without tumbling as planned. A tumble system built into the tank to prevent skipping during reentry (and keep debris within a preplanned area) did not work. The Indian Ocean tracking ship, USNS Arnold, said that the tank-debris footprint was larger than expected.
Orbit-maneuvering system (OMS) firings (OMS-1 and OMS-2) put Columbia into an orbit with 133.7-nautical-mile apogee, 132.7-nautical-mile perigee, and 40.3° inclination. Ascent went as planned, with all events, through payload-bay door opening, occurring normally. (NASA MOR M-989-81-01 [postlaunch] May 12/81)
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