Columbia, first launch
NASA, 1981
A machine that has never flown, leaving with two men who intend to land it. An old kind of fire under a new kind of ship. The landing is a rumor. They have to make it true.
About this work
At just after 7 a.m. on April 12, 1981, the Space Shuttle Columbia lifted off from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center on STS-1, the first orbital flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program. On board were two men, the commander John Young and the pilot Robert Crippen. It was the first American crewed spaceflight since the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project in 1975, and the first time a new American spacecraft had made its maiden flight with a crew aboard. Columbia orbited the Earth 37 times and landed, unpowered, at Edwards Air Force Base in California on April 14, after 54.5 hours. Built by Rockwell International and named after the first American ship to sail around the globe, Columbia was the first of five shuttle orbiters to fly in space. In November 1981, on STS-2, it became the first spacecraft to be flown again after a trip to orbit. NASA's caption for this photograph begins: "After six years of silence, the thunder of manned space flight is heard again." NASA catalogues it as KSC-81PC-0382.
Sources: NASA Image and Video Library · Wikipedia: STS-1 · Wikipedia: Space Shuttle Columbia
Print facts
- Native resolution
- 6,084 × 6,084 px
- Sharp at 150 ppi up to
- 40 × 40 in
- Sizes
- Small (20 × 20 in) · $100 · 304 ppi
Medium (24 × 24 in) · $150 · 254 ppi
Large (36 × 36 in) · $300 · 169 ppi - Price includes
- Frame and US shipping · 14–21 days · 30-day returns
FAQ
Where can I buy a framed print of Columbia, first launch?
Here. Columbia, first launch is available as a framed print in three sizes: Small (20 × 20 in) for $100, Medium (24 × 24 in) for $150 and Large (36 × 36 in) for $300. Prices include the frame and US shipping; delivery takes 14–21 days, with 30-day returns.
What size works best for Columbia, first launch?
The file is 6,084 × 6,084 px, so every size is sharp: even Large (36 × 36 in) prints at 169 ppi. Choose Large (36 × 36 in) for a large wall; Small (20 × 20 in) suits a narrower space.
Is it legal to print Columbia, first launch?
Yes. NASA made this photograph, and NASA material is not protected by copyright in the United States unless noted, so it can be printed and sold. A print does not imply NASA endorsement, and NASA's logos and insignia are not covered.
