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Space Shuttle Columbia
John Young and Robert Crippin pilot the space shuttle Columbia on the maiden flight of the Space Transport System -
Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger is launched -
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Sally Ride
Sally Ride becomes the first american woman astronaut on the STS-7 flight of Challenger -
First African-American astronaut
The STS-8 Challenger flight introduces Guion S. Blueford, the first African-American astronaut to travel in space. -
Discovery
First flight of space shuttle Discovery -
Atlantis
First flight of space shuttle Atlantis. -
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Satellite
Atlantis deploys a classified satellite for the Department of Defense. -
Challenger explodes
Challenger explodes 73 seconds into the flight -
Galileo
Atlantis launches the Jupiter-bound Galileo spacecraft -
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Telescope
Discovery mission launches the Hubble Space Telescope -
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Endeavour's
Endeavour's maiden flight and the first 3-person spacewalk -
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Sergei Krikalev
Sergei Krikalev becomes the first Russian cosmonaut on a U.S. Shuttle mission -
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Eileen Collins
Eileen Collins becomes the first woman pilot, flying Discovery past the Russian Space station Mir. -
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Shannon Lucid
U.S. astronaut Shannon Lucid is dropped off by Atlantis for a 181-day mission on the Mir, setting a record for a woman in space. -
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Hubble Space Telescope
Columbia makes the fourth Hubble Space Telescope maintenance/repair/upgrade visit. -
Columbia
Fifteen minutes before completing its 28th mission, COlumbia breaks up with the loss of all seven crew members. -
First teacher in space
Endeavour takes off for the International Space Station carrying the first teacher to ever visit space, Barbara Morgan. Morgan was once the backup to Christa McAuliffe, who was originally slated to become the first teacher in space, but was tragically killed in the Challenger disaster of 1986. -
Discovery
Discovery launches into space for a 14-day mission to the International Space Station carrying a new module that will expand the living space in the orbiting labratory. -
Endeavour
Endeavour safely returns from its 16-day mission to the International Space Station. The Endeavour delivered the first section of the Japenese Kibo laboratory and a Canadian Space Agency robot called Dextre—every international partner has now contributed a major part to the ISS. -
Discovery
Discovery launches on its final mission and docks with the International Space Station. The crew consisted of six American astronauts, all of whom had been on prior spaceflights, including Commander Steven Lindsey. The crew joined the long-duration six person crew of Expedition 26, who were already aboard the space station. The mission transported several items to the space station, including the Permanent Multipurpose Module Leonardo, which was left permanently docked to one of the station's po
