Retro 51 Smithsonian - Rollerball Pen Columbia Space Shuttle

Now taking off is the Columbia Space Shuttle, the next in Retro51's Space Shuttle Series. — Launched from the Kennedy Space Center in April 1981, the Columbia was the very first NASA orbiter to reach space. Over the course of its lifetime, it spent 300 days in space and orbited Earth 4000 times. This shuttle was an incredibly innovative step forward for space travel flying twenty-seven successful missions that helped expand our understanding of the universe. Despite its many successful missions, the Columbia’s 28th and final flight ended tragically on February 1, 2003 after 16 days in space. The seven brave crew members have been memorialized through the Patricia Huffman Smith Museum, Columbia Memorial Space Center plus countless naming dedications and media tributes.