The date was April 12, 1981.
I was still in elementary school when Space Transportation System-1 (STS-1)—better known as the space shuttle Columbia—lifted off from Kennedy Space Center’s launch pad LC-39A, ushering in a return to manned spaceflight for the United States since the Apollo program ended in December 1972 (less than a year before I was born).
(Interesting fact: STS-1 and STS-2 were the only space shuttle missions to use an
external fuel tank that was painted white. The paint was applied to protect the foam covering the tank from the sun’s UV rays. Later research deemed the pain unnecessary.)
Growing up, I was totally fascinated by NASA’s space program. I remember sending a letter to NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., and receiving a bunch of posters, flyers, and photographs that soon resided on my bedroom wall.
In middle school, I was determined to join the astronaut corps. I learned that most astronauts at that time were military pilots, so I planned to join the U.S. Air Force after high school and become a pilot. (It wasn’t until after my growth spurt that I learned my new 6’ 4” frame wasn’t conducive to fighter jet cockpits.)
To this day, I am still fascinated by military jets and the new era of the United States space program. The November 2022 launch of Artemis I and the program’s future continue to fuel my interest.
(Photo credit: By NASA – https://images.nasa.gov/details/81pc0382)
