Space Shuttle Columbia launches on STS-61-C, the 24th shuttle mission.

"Early morning launch at Florida's Kennedy Space Center of the space shuttle Columbia and the STS-61-C crew. Onboard were the following crew members: Mission Commander Robert L. Gibson and Pilot Charles F. Bolden, along with Mission Specialists Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Steven A. Hawley and George D. Nelson and Payload Specialists Robert J. Cenker of RCA and U.S. Rep. Bill Nelson.

"Columbia, which opened the era of the Space Transportation System with four orbital flight tests, is featured in re-entry in the emblem designed by the STS-61C crew representing the seven team members who manned the vehicle for its seventh STS mission. Gold lettering against black background honors the astronaut crewmembers on the delta pattern surrounding colorful re-entry shock waves, and the payload specialists are honored similarly below the sphere."

Date: January 12, 1986

arbitrary astronaut photosets (7/?): favorite shuttle crew gag photos

STS-32 (January 1990) || STS-61-C (January 1986)

STS-40 (June 1991) || STS-92 (October 2000)

STS-46 (July – August 1992) || STS-61-E (cancelled)

STS-54 (January 1993) || STS-111 (June 2002)

"The night landing of Space Shuttle Columbia at Edwards Air Force Base and end of the STS-61-C mission. The view is of the shuttle's main landing gear touching down, with streams of light trailing behind the orbiter."

Date: January 18, 1986

"A triangular piece of orbital debris (a section of thermal insulation tile) high above the Planet Earth as seen from the Space Shuttle Columbia during mission STS-61-C. The primary objective of STS-61-C is the deployment of the Satcom K1 communications satellite, along with a number of small scientific experiments."

Date: January 12-18, 1986

The SATCOM Ku-1 communications satellite spins from the protective shield of Columbia and its deployment into orbit was primary objective of the STS-61-C mission. It was the second in a planned series of geosynchronous satellites owned and operated by RCA Americom.

Date: January 12, 1986

"CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This orbiter tribute of space shuttle Columbia, or OV-102, hangs in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The tribute features Columbia, the “first of the fleet," rising above Earth at the dawn of the Space Shuttle Program. Columbia's accomplishments include the launch and deployment of NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory on STS-93, the first shuttle landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico on STS-3, the first deployment of commercial satellites and the first four-member crew during STS-5, the first Spacelab mission and first six-member crew on STS-9, the first female commander, Eileen Collins, on STS-93, as well as several laboratory missions with international partners. Crew-designed patches for each of Columbia’s missions lead from Earth toward a remembrance of the STS-107 crew, which was lost during re-entry on Feb. 1, 2003. Five orbiter tributes are on display in the firing room, representing Atlantis, Challenger, Columbia, Endeavour and Discovery."

Date: July 29, 2010