Believe it or not I was the Air Traffic Controller who was working in Edwards Tower that day... I issued the landing clearance to the Columbia but it was not normal protocal as you are right, Houston was supposed to be the only communication with the space craft. I felt it was going to be my only opportunity to make history as the "first" air traffic controller to clear an aircraft to land after returning from space.. a dubious honor that it is.. My name is Braxton Freeman for the record!
STS-2 was originally designated as Skylab rescue, but the production delays and solar activity prevented from accomplishing that mission. It would have been a sight to see the shuttle docked at the Skylab!
Before landing, Joe Engle asked for clearance from the Edwards tower (though you can't hear it on this video). You do hear the response from the Edwards tower, though, which causes Joe Kerwin (doing the commentary) to laugh. It wasn't protocol to ask for landing clearance...and the only communications were meant to be between Houston and Columbia...but Engle had too much history at Edwards and wanted to include them on the landing.
On the landing; recognized the voices of Tom Brokaw, John Chancellor at NBC and Joe Kerwin form Skylab 2 who was their NBC consultant in the 1980s;, they had him on the STS-26 launch in 1988 too.
Best video I've ever seen of STS-2, with decent sound too, at least briefly. The mission highlights version has no sound and cuts out halfway through. Only thing that would make this better is if they had opened another outdoor mic after the initial liftoff. And would be nice to see it a little more before launch than 25 seconds but that's just imho.
Would be nice if NASA would have live sound with their replays from, say, the press site. In these days of HD and high-quality audio they ought to have a much better broadcast experience. HD Net does a decent job.
@ceredigio I also recommend looking up the live broadcast ABC footage on here. They show great stuff, better sound, and live replays - of all the early shuttle launches; 1981-1983.
This was the only flight where the crew members were rookies, although Joe Engle had flown above 50 miles before. The difficulties encountered before and during the flight were an early indication that the Shuttle would not be able to fly as frequently as hoped, as cheaply as had been advertised or as safely as had been hoped. Columbia, of course, was destroyed on reentry in 2003 and so was never placed in a museum for the public to see once Shuttle flights came to an end.
The ET's Natural color is brown/red. For STS 1 and 2, they painted it white, They stopped painting it due to the extra weight it added, and the fact that much of it fell off and splattered the shuttles windows.
@CessnaFlyGuy1 lol thanks, Braxton. Always wondered what the " clear to land" comment was. I thought...he's in a glider, cleared ot land or not, they are coming down now! lol
@ceredigio Someone sent me the STS-5 ABC footage on DVD. If it isn't on You Tube, I will tell you that he does say at T-minues 12 or 11 seconds or so " World, get ready for a celebration on Veteran's Day" Then at the moment of lift-off, "There she goes! And what a sight today!!" When the soundwaves really start hammering them at about +20 seconds, Cernan says to Frank Reynolds, " Feel that, Frank!" Then around +90 seconds " We just may be able to see this one forever!" (great visibility)
Yes indeed. She was my favorite. I just visited Discovery at Udvar-Hazy, and while it was a thrill to see her, I can’t help but feel a little sad, because it should have been Columbia sitting there. She was the first, she was the one I fell in love with.
@ceredigio No, I hven't seen anything by Spacecraft Films for about 3 years now. I got annoyed with some of the selectiveness of their productions- what they would omit. Thanks for the tip, I will look that up online and check that out.
Some have wondered if the paint was left on, might it have stopped foam breaking off and damaging tiles? I'm not so sure, but it is an interesting thought.
Why is there two different colors on the exturnal fuel tanks on the first two flights it was white then from sts 3 up until the day the space shuttle program ended it was brown why is that i never have understood why that is?
Believe it or not I was the Air Traffic Controller who was working in Edwards Tower that day... I issued the landing clearance to the Columbia but it was not normal protocal as you are right, Houston was supposed to be the only communication with the space craft. I felt it was going to be my only opportunity to make history as the "first" air traffic controller to clear an aircraft to land after returning from space.. a dubious honor that it is.. My name is Braxton Freeman for the record!
That's great
This is the coolest thing I've read all week
Was that your voice at 4:18 ish giving the clear to land call?
Joe Engle is a heck of a pilot. He was the first and only pilot to manually fly the shuttle through re-entry. True stick and rudder man.
X-15 flight school lol
So his opinion is like that?
If anything flies I can land it anywhere from anywhere
Chris Craft denied that ever happened.
STS-2 was originally designated as Skylab rescue, but the production delays and solar activity prevented from accomplishing that mission. It would have been a sight to see the shuttle docked at the Skylab!
STS-2 was a manual reentry and landing. They were also both throwing up when they landed
sts-2 was also the first shuttle mission to use canadarm
Before landing, Joe Engle asked for clearance from the Edwards tower (though you can't hear it on this video). You do hear the response from the Edwards tower, though, which causes Joe Kerwin (doing the commentary) to laugh.
It wasn't protocol to ask for landing clearance...and the only communications were meant to be between Houston and Columbia...but Engle had too much history at Edwards and wanted to include them on the landing.
I miss these days. When i was growing up my family and I would watch the Space Shuttles launches and landings. These were great times.
I know what you mean. Artemis just isn't the same. Splashing down in the ocean seems like going backwards.
Deke Slayton flying the T-38 chase plane. Happy Birthday! (3-1-1924)
0:40 I love the way it goes rainbow
That was a problem with the VCR’s color tracking.
"Oki doke!" :D
Dan Brandenstein was the ascent Capcom during STS 1 And STS 2
On the landing; recognized the voices of Tom Brokaw, John Chancellor at NBC and Joe Kerwin form Skylab 2 who was their NBC consultant in the 1980s;, they had him on the STS-26 launch in 1988 too.
Okie dokes!!!!
This flight was also when they had problems with the O-rings in the booster joints-erosion and blowby.
"Ignore the master alarm, Columbia" - If that isn't the most NASA quote ever, I don't know what is.
Oh, and both STS 1 and STS 2 were both in 1981
Best video I've ever seen of STS-2, with decent sound too, at least briefly. The mission highlights version has no sound and cuts out halfway through. Only thing that would make this better is if they had opened another outdoor mic after the initial liftoff. And would be nice to see it a little more before launch than 25 seconds but that's just imho.
Haha the radio chatter at liftoff was used in Rush's song countdown
Would be nice if NASA would have live sound with their replays from, say, the press site. In these days of HD and high-quality audio they ought to have a much better broadcast experience. HD Net does a decent job.
@ceredigio I also recommend looking up the live broadcast ABC footage on here. They show great stuff, better sound, and live replays - of all the early shuttle launches; 1981-1983.
This was the only flight where the crew members were rookies, although Joe Engle had flown above 50 miles before. The difficulties encountered before and during the flight were an early indication that the Shuttle would not be able to fly as frequently as hoped, as cheaply as had been advertised or as safely as had been hoped. Columbia, of course, was destroyed on reentry in 2003 and so was never placed in a museum for the public to see once Shuttle flights came to an end.
The ET's Natural color is brown/red. For STS 1 and 2, they painted it white, They stopped painting it due to the extra weight it added, and the fact that much of it fell off and splattered the shuttles windows.
Also to save money
@CessnaFlyGuy1 lol thanks, Braxton. Always wondered what the " clear to land" comment was. I thought...he's in a glider, cleared ot land or not, they are coming down now! lol
Because their water supply had turned fizzy and in space it makes you throw up.
@ceredigio Someone sent me the STS-5 ABC footage on DVD. If it isn't on You Tube, I will tell you that he does say at T-minues 12 or 11 seconds or so " World, get ready for a celebration on Veteran's Day" Then at the moment of lift-off, "There she goes! And what a sight today!!" When the soundwaves really start hammering them at about +20 seconds, Cernan says to Frank Reynolds, " Feel that, Frank!" Then around +90 seconds " We just may be able to see this one forever!" (great visibility)
@ilmsff7 The mission was scheduled to be 5 days, but a failed fuel cell forced the mission to be cut to just over 2 days.
It's a shame she was lost.
Qasim Mir Truly.
Yes indeed. She was my favorite. I just visited Discovery at Udvar-Hazy, and while it was a thrill to see her, I can’t help but feel a little sad, because it should have been Columbia sitting there. She was the first, she was the one I fell in love with.
@ceredigio No, I hven't seen anything by Spacecraft Films for about 3 years now. I got annoyed with some of the selectiveness of their productions- what they would omit. Thanks for the tip, I will look that up online and check that out.
Note the external tank painted white. This was later dropped, leaving the tank the familiar orange color.
Some have wondered if the paint was left on, might it have stopped foam breaking off and damaging tiles? I'm not so sure, but it is an interesting thought.
Wow!
0:41 *CELEBRATORY RAVE!*
And left up, on the space shuttle and columbia desury on stetection on and space!!!
What was the background surrounding the comments about a "disappointing mission?"
The mission was cut short due to a fuel cell problem
Joe Engle, Richard Truly.....Thanks For Your Autographs.
Did the camera guy take LSD at 0:41?
Welcome to life in the 80s with VCRs. The color tracking went wonky. NTSC TV. “Never The Same Color”
Why is there two different colors on the exturnal fuel tanks on the first two flights it was white then from sts 3 up until the day the space shuttle program ended it was brown why is that i never have understood why that is?
ndwm2112 the white was paint but it caused weight and other problems
Paint equals weight
Added paint to try and reduce heating from the sunlight, it was found to be useless and a waste of weight which could be used for more payload
They stopped painting the ET so they could use that several hundred pounds of paint as payload.
10:09:34
3:06
Robotic_voice.mp4