STS1 was the first orbital flight of NASA's Space Shuttle, launched on 12 April 1981, and returning to Earth 14 April. Space Shuttle Columbia orbited the Earth 37 times in this 54.5hour mission. It was the first American manned space flight since the ApolloSoyuz Test Project on 15 July 1975. STS1 was the only US manned maiden test flight of a new spacecraft system, although it was the culmination of atmospheric testing of the Space Shuttle orbiter.

Footage from "Hail Columbia!"