Page last updated at 20:44 GMT, Sunday, 27 July 2008 21:44 UK

Columbia: The first shuttle flight

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The space shuttle Columbia made history when it launched from Cape Canaveral on 12 April 1981.

It was the first of the winged, reusable craft to be used by Nasa, as the US sought to depart from the capsules of the 1960s and 70s.

Pictures courtesy of Nasa.

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