CAN DO SEM on STS-80 Columbia

The STS-80 mission was the 21st flight of the original orbiter, Columbia. It was also the longest shuttle mission ever flown .

	The first SEM canister being hoisted onto the mounting beam before the installation of it's white insulating cover.
The Space Shuttle Columbia traveling to the launch pad at the stately speed of one mile and hour. Shuttles travel very fast in space but on land would have trouble outrunning a turtle.
	An unusual view of Columbia on the pad almost ready for launch.
The STS-80 Crew: Kenneth D. Cockrell - Mission Commander Kent V. Rominger - Pilot Tamara E. Jernigan - Mission Specialist Thomas D. Jones - Mission Specialist F. Story Musgrave - Mission Specialist click on image for LARGE portrait
	Columbia at the moment when the solid rocket boosters ignited. There is no turning back at this point because solid rockets unlike the Shuttle main engines cannot be shut down once ignited. Dramatic images like this are available immediately after launch from an Internet site at Kennedy Space Center.
STS-80 made a spectacular landing at dawn at the Kennedy Space Center.

A FLIGHT ALBUM