[SHUTTLE COLUMBIA (STS-3)] CLEARING THE LAUNCH TOWER. VINTAGE NASA "RED NUMBER" PHOTOGRAPH, 22 MARCH 1982.

The Vintage NASA Photo Collection of Philip Kulpa

[SHUTTLE COLUMBIA (STS-3)] 

CLEARING THE LAUNCH TOWER. 22 MARCH 1982.

Vintage NASA “Red Number” chromogenic color photograph, 10 by 8 inches, “This Paper Manufactured by Kodak” watermark, press captions printed in purple to verso. NASA image ID “S82-28746” printed in center of upper margin in red; minor toning, tape to verso.

Space Shuttle Columbia pictured as it cleared the tower at Kennedy Space Center on 22 March 1982. Crewed by Commander Jack Lousma and Pilot Gordon Fullerton, STS-3 was NASA's third Space Shuttle mission, and was the third mission for the Space Shuttle Columbia. Lasting for eight days, the mission involved extensive orbital endurance testing of the shuttle itself, as well as various scientific experiments. STS-3 was the only mission to land at the White Sands Space Harbor near Las Cruces, New Mexico. This proved necessary after Edwards Air Force Base⁠—its planned landing site⁠—flooded.