NASA Space Shuttle STS-2 Launch (shuttlesource.com)

[TheJer1963]

This was November 12, 1981. Turned out to be the worst day off my life. Great job by NASA though.

[Zach121k]

@TheJer1963 why

[stevehislop]

I luv the shuttle.That John Young flew the first one was so appropriately.

Its amazing that in every posting about anything Apollo related, there are HB/CT spamming you with their theories...but here...nothing!

[Rahkashimaster]

Why not just order parts in white instead of orange?

[Zoomer30]

The paint was safe, the FOAM was coming off in chucks on STS 1. Most of the shuttles from the 80s came back just peppered with dings from the foam. No one cared: What can a little price of foam do.

The paint was there to help keep the tank cool in the hot florida sun. Later figured out they did not need it

[Andrewmcmelonse]

i wonder if they could find out of some sort of coloring they could add that wouldnt affect anything, i would kill to see a purple or green tank.

[Rapidfashion4]

This is my Birthday. 12.11.81

[Franciszek64]

We want the ET painted on white for the last shuttle mission!!!!

[telescopereplicator]

@Franciszek64 ...I would like that, too. But the paint weighs over 2 metric tons. And that's the main reason why they didn't paint it anymore. So...little change they'll paint it white again. Too expensive to paint and it would mean they have 2 tons of cargo less to be lifted into space.

[Kvartet]

I like the white version, with its typical design of white and black areas

[doginstine]

If I recall, this flight had to be cut short because of a falt in an APU. It lasted only two days.

[elkinsinbox]

The distance between the ground and 30,000 ft. looks like a short distance when you're flying that high. And it looks a long way off when you're on the ground. I never flew on a plane before but that looks awsome.

[Kjr0se]

It's a shame that the external fuel tank isn't white anymore, but since the first two launches, I've gotten used to the orang-brown color of the external fuel tank now though, I thought the current color of the external tank was to make the shuttle more visible at liftoff.

[webstermr]

They actually made the change to save weight. By not painting the tank, it saves something like 600kg in weight.

[Dragonx0562]

they painted the tank to try and minimize possible LO2 and LH2 boil-off by solar heating. the numbers they expected didn't happen, and it adds another 840 lbs to her launch weight, so they stopped painting them.

[UdallIn72]

I think they look better orange, anyway.

[Neptuneaus]

NASA likes to refer to the tanks as "rust-colored." ;)

[Antilogix]

Also to cut weight and for safety reasons. On STS-1 the crew saw white paint hitting the space shuttle and they thought it could have endangered the crew.

[wardcurry]

Great video -- it's amazing they had an airplane film the shuttle's ascent there, I don't think they do that anymore due to clearing out the airspace

[Neptuneaus]

They still do it -- every launch is filmed by a chase plane.

[Zachmister]

Pretty Colors

[mittensisfat]

thats to bad you cant hear the roar of the shuttle's launch!!!!

[BigBill783]

Something about a master alarm. i think he got a warning about the Flash evaporator system which is a cooling system.

[zaneisafilipino]

The second launch of Columbia.

[Brianyankeefan]

what did joe engle say after roger go @ 40

[John19182004]

something about a master-alarm

[airdriver]

This was supposed to have been a 7 day mission but problems with the fuel cells bought them home two days later.

[silverchair97]

from Wikipedia (painted ET):

The first two (ET), used in STS-1 and STS-2, were painted white to protect the insulation that covers much of the tank, but improvements and testing showed that it was not required,leaving only the clear primer over the now-trademark rust-colored insulation, saving approximately 272 kg / 600 pounds of weight.

[silverchair97]

Thanks for posting this launch:

In addition to the ET being painted white for the first two missions, there were also ejection seats I believe for the test launches as well. Listen to the comments at 1:38.

[niner4life8]

Why is the external tank white?

[MegaUltraGalactic79]

The Historic STS-2 Mission Was Launched in November 12, 1981. With Astronauts Joe Engle and Richard Truly

[godfather181]

Never seen the STS-2 video. Very nice!