Size: 20.4 x 25.5 cm
Description: the picture has autopen signatures from John Young and Bob Crippen. STS-1 was the first orbital spaceflight of NASA's Space Shuttle program. The mission was launched on April 12, 1981, and was crewed by two astronauts: Commander John Young and Pilot Robert Crippen.
John Young was a veteran astronaut who had previously flown on Gemini 3, Gemini 10, Apollo 10, and Apollo 16 missions. Robert Crippen was a Navy pilot and aerospace engineer who had never flown in space before.
The primary objective of STS-1 was to test the Space Shuttle orbiter, Columbia, in orbit. The mission also aimed to demonstrate that the Space Shuttle was capable of safe, reliable, and routine access to space.
During the mission, Young and Crippen tested the Shuttle's systems and performed a number of maneuvers, including a roll reversal and a braking test. They also deployed and retrieved a satellite, and conducted experiments to test the performance of various materials in space.
STS-1 was a successful mission, paving the way for future Space Shuttle flights and establishing the Space Shuttle as a reliable and versatile spacecraft. The mission lasted for two days, six hours, 20 minutes, and 53 seconds, and the crew landed safely at Edwards Air Force Base in California on April 14, 1981.
