First space shuttle pilot visits Edwards, AV for 30th anniversary of first flight Published April 20, 2011 By Diane Betzler Staff Writer LANCASTER, Calif. -- It was a walk down memory lane for many of the 200 guests that turned out to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the very first space shuttle mission. The Antelope Valley Board of Trade and NASA held a dinner in the main ballroom of Antelope Valley University April 15 to commemorate the historic event. For some, the day seemed like yesterday. "Yesterday afternoon a spaceship landed in our desert. That spaceship, the space shuttle orbiter Columbia returned home -- home to its birthplace right here in the Antelope Valley," said Dianne Knippel, AVBOT president of the and emcee for the evening. The event was presented by the AVBOT and NASA and the guest speaker was none other than the space shuttle Columbia Pilot, retired Capt. Robert Crippen, the astronaut who flew the now famous first flight that lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 12, 1981 and landed two-and-a-half days later on Runway 23, a dry lakebed runway at Edwards Air Force Base. Earlier in the day, Captain Crippen visited Edwards and reminisced about the early shuttle program days with NASA and Edwards employees. Columbia orbited the Earth in a flight that lasted nearly 55 hours, and now 30 years later Captain Crippen and others marvel over how it seems like it all took place just yesterday. "This is an incredible year for remembrance and reflection in the aerospace community," said David McBride, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, director. Mr. McBride said 2011 marks a hundred years of naval aviation and pointed out that the crew of STS-1 was made up of Navy personnel. He said this year also marks 50 years of manned space flight and an incredible 30-year run of the NASA Space Shuttle Program. "The shuttle program to develop a winged reusable space vehicle started planning in 1968 and kicked off in 1972. Much of what happened to make the orbiter possible happened here in this valley," McBride said. He pointed out that the world's first, and so far only, reusable orbital spacecraft was built at what was then Rockwell's Site One assembly facility in Palmdale, Calif. "STS-1 was a test flight unlike any other. There was no mid-way testing of the shuttle before it left Earth's atmosphere for orbital flight," McBride said, calling the event 'the boldest test flight in history.' "It was the first manned vehicle to be flown into orbit without benefit of previous unmanned orbital testing," Captain Crippen said. He marveled over how long ago the historical first flight took place, "It's been three decades since I flew the shuttle with John Young. Time does fly when you're having fun, and I'll tell you, I was having fun," he said. Captain Crippen talked about some of the experiences he shared with fellow Astronaut John Young who was the STS-1 mission commander. There were a lot of firsts surrounding the orbiter's first flight. It took place 20 years after the Soviet Union launched their first manned spaceflight with Yuri Gagarin, the Russian cosmonaut and the first human in space. Mr. Young and Crippen's first flight was also the first manned spaceflight since the Apollo-Soyuz project that took place in July 1975, of which Captain Crippen was a member of the astronaut support crew. STS-1 was the first manned vehicle to launch with wings using solid rocket boosters. It was the first winged reentry vehicle to return to a conventional runway landing after nearly two-and-a-half days in space. While talking about the early days, the captain talked about the events that led him to the shuttle program. Before joining the program he attended the United States Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards. After graduating from what is now known as the United States Air Force Test Pilot School, Captain Crippen stayed on at the school as an instructor until his selection to the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory Program. The MOL was canceled in 1969, which left Crippen and other astronauts out of work. "There were 14 of us. We went to Washington, D.C. and talked to George Mueller," Crippen said. Mr. Mueller was the associate administrator of the NASA Office of Manned Space Flight and was considered to be the father of the space shuttle. "We asked him if he can use us," Crippen said, explaining how he got involved with the shuttle program. From there, it was off to Houston, Texas where Captain Crippen started working on the shuttle program in 1973. "Before that, I hadn't even heard the term 'space shuttle,'" he said. Then it was back to Edwards where he joined forces with fellow astronauts Joe Engle, Dick Gordon, Gordon Fullerton and Fred Halse to begin approach and landing testing. Captain Crippen said he flew a T-38 into Edwards and saw the Enterprise sitting on the back of a 747 and said his first thought was, "Boy did I screw up!" He didn't think the piggyback idea of transporting the shuttle would work. As they got into the approach and landing tests, they managed to iron out all the wrinkles and the rest is history. In all, six shuttles were built; five were space worthy; two were tragically lost in flight; one has been retired and two remain ready to support the remaining flights scheduled for this year. The shuttle program had about 20 astronauts signed up to work on the program and Captain Crippen said he never anticipated being the pilot chosen to fly the first flight. "That ride was really something," Captain Crippen told a captivated audience. "What a way to come to California." "That first flight was a fantastic thing, not only for John and I, but it was a good thing for America." He reminded attendees that during this time the Vietnam War was going strong and U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy had been assassinated. "America needed something it could be proud of," he said. He said it's bitter sweet that after 30 years the shuttle program is coming to a close. The retired astronaut credits the shuttle program and other space missions with having a lot to do with winning the Cold War. "They all led to the construction of the International Space Station, which got countries working together." After Captain Crippen's talk, Ken Crawford, 95th Air Base Wing Runway project manager and NASA Dryden Flight Research Center George Grimshaw, director of Shuttle Operations, presented the captain with a piece of old Runway 22. A core sample taken from the runway was also presented to Al Hoffman, site manager of Edwards and NASA for the Boeing Company. STS-134 is slated to fly a crew of six to the International Space Station to deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and the Express Logistics Carrier No. 3, April 24. After completing its final flight, Endeavor will be given to the California Science Center in Exposition Park near downtown Los Angeles where it will be on display for people to enjoy. STS-135 is scheduled for its final shuttle mission June 28. Atlantis will remain in Florida to be exhibited at the spaceport's official visitor complex.