Preparations for STS-1
Space shuttle prime and backup astronaut crews prepared to be briefed on the use of the emergency pad escape system, known as the “slidewire.” From left to right are STS-1 backup astronauts Joe Engle and Richard Truly, and primary crew Commander John Young. Both the prime and backup crews wore the spacesuits and other equipment they would wear during a mission. The slidewire system provided a quick and sure means of escape from the upper pad platforms in case of a serious emergency. The flight crews wore the spacesuits and other equipment to be worn during a mission, but sandbags were used to duplicate the weight of riders in the slidewire baskets during the training.
The STS-1 mission, the first of four shuttle test flights, demonstrated the safe launch into orbit and safe return of the orbiter and crew and verified the combined performance of the entire shuttle vehicle—orbiter, solid rocket boosters and external tank. STS-1 was launched from Pad A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39 on April 12, 1981.
Credit: NASA
Image Number: KSC-81PC-0022
Date: January 6, 1981
Preparations for STS-1
Space shuttle prime and backup astronaut crews prepared to be briefed on the use of the emergency pad escape system, known as the “slidewire.” From left to right are STS-1 backup astronauts Joe Engle and Richard Truly, and primary crew Commander John Young. Both the prime and backup crews wore the spacesuits and other equipment they would wear during a mission. The slidewire system provided a quick and sure means of escape from the upper pad platforms in case of a serious emergency. The flight crews wore the spacesuits and other equipment to be worn during a mission, but sandbags were used to duplicate the weight of riders in the slidewire baskets during the training.
The STS-1 mission, the first of four shuttle test flights, demonstrated the safe launch into orbit and safe return of the orbiter and crew and verified the combined performance of the entire shuttle vehicle—orbiter, solid rocket boosters and external tank. STS-1 was launched from Pad A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39 on April 12, 1981.
Credit: NASA
Image Number: KSC-81PC-0022
Date: January 6, 1981