Existing comment:
No American reached space between 1975 and the first Space Shuttle mission in 1981. As launch day for STS-1 approached, Americans discovered the excitement of spaceflight all over again. When Columbia lifted off, America's pride rode with her.
News photographer Ralph Morse planted an automatic camera 100 yards from Columbia the night before launch. The camera snapped pictures of the Shuttle's explosive lift-off until shockwaves smashed it. |