
This was one of the central moments in my life. Space felt close, attainable. This ship became a symbol of hope for me. It’s eventual loss broke the hearts of so many. And yet that dream lives on.
The rear wheels of the space shuttle orbiter Columbia touched down on Rogers dry lake at Edwards Air Force Base, NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center (then Dryden), California, to successfully complete a stay in space of more than two days. Astronauts John W. Young, STS-1 commander, and Robert L. Crippen, pilot, were aboard the vehicle. via NASA http://ift.tt/1TTGD8R