Barksdale Airforce Base, Bossier City, LA 1982
In 1982 I was eleven and the Space Shuttle Columbia had just gone up into space for its first test flight one year earlier. This photo is stamped June 1982, but must have taken place in April. On one of its test flights into orbit, Columbia landed out in New Mexico and NASA had to fly it home piggyback on a 747 to Florida. Barksdale Air Force Base (home of the B52s) is halfway in between and a perfect refueling station.
The base opened to the public that day so everyone could come and see the space shuttle. My mom took Amy and me and it was incredible. The space shuttle program was so new and awe inspiring! It's unbelievable to me that now there is hardly a news blip when the shuttles launch or land. I remember afterwards when we were in the car leaving we saw it fly overhead on the back of the 747. Very cool!
Columbia is the shuttle that blew up on reintry in 2003.
2 comments:
I lived at Edwards AirForce Base when it landed there on its first run in April '81. You are sooo right--It was very inspiring! My dad's flight hangar was at the dry lake bed it landed on and the whole platoon's families had picnics there to watch it land. My dad got to go photograph while they piggybacked the Shuttle onto the 747 (probably a no-no back then)
that is a cool picture and a great memory!
Post a Comment