STS-2 was the second flight of the Space Shuttle and the first time in history that a crewed spacecraft was launched into space a second time. Columbia returned to orbit on November 12, 1981, only about seven months after its maiden flight, with Joe Engle and Richard Truly aboard, proving the orbiter could be recovered, refurbished, and flown again.
The mission was shortened from five days to two by a failed fuel cell, but the crew still carried out the first tests of the Shuttle's Canadian-built robotic arm and a package of Earth-observation experiments.
The spacearchive.ai STS-2 collection brings together 13 records from the mission, including launch coverage, training footage, highlights reels, and mission commentary.
The collection preserves the footage, audio, and spoken word of the mission in one place, available for research and citation.
A working snapshot of what the collection holds today. The public catalog shows descriptive metadata; full media and transcripts are available through research access.
All records in this collection
JSC (AV) - STS-2 - Astronaut Truly Training at RMF with Astronauts Sally Ride and Terry Hart: Part 1. Great footage of Truly in the RMS simulator in building 9, Sally Ride and Terry Hart are included, footage shows the arm being positioned over the payload bay and stowed into the cradle.
STS-2 engineering launch views. See the shuttle Columbia lift off the pad from various cameras around the launchpad 39A, slow motion close-ups of various angles. | NARA: KSC - STS-2 Launch: Various Engineering Camera Locations During Ignition and Liftoff
KSC - STS-2 - Rollout to Pad 39A, Coverage of Vehicle from First Motion Until Hard Down on the Pad (Long Shots)
KSC - STS-2 - Firing Room Activities Crew Breakfast and Suiting, Depart O and C Building, White Room Activities and Flight Crew Ingress Prior to Launch. Engle and Truly preparing for launch
JSC (AV) - STS-2 Prime Crew Training - Astronauts Richard Truly and Joe H. Engle Fly STA
Kennedy Space Center (KSC) - Space Transportation System STS-2; Orbiter Col. post flight processing (tail cone removal), Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) Number 1.
Launch coverage for STS-2, T-minus two hours and counting, highlights the countdown to the 10 a.m. launch. Notable moments include the crew's breakfast celebration for pilot Dick Truly's 44th birthday and the resolution of a multiplexer-deplexer unit issue that delayed the launch. The countdown resumes after successfully replacing the faulty unit, ensuring the shuttle is ready for liftoff.
Descriptive summary pending processing.
Launch coverage for STS-2 during the terminal countdown highlights key milestones including main engine start at T-minus 10 seconds, solid rocket booster separation at 2 minutes 25 seconds, and main engine cutoff (MECO) shortly thereafter. The recording captures the crew's readiness and excitement, with notable commentary on the ascent and external tank separation. The mission control team confirms successful ascent parameters as Columbia reaches 46 nautical miles in altitude at 3 minutes 8 seconds.
This highlights reel captures key moments from the STS-2 mission, including the ignition and liftoff of Columbia at T-minus 3 seconds, the completion of the roll maneuver at 25 seconds, and the solid rocket booster separation confirmation at one minute 55 seconds. The recording also features the crew's cabin activities and concludes with the unofficial touchdown time of two days, six hours, 13 minutes, 10 seconds, as well as the crew's greeting by George Abbey upon landing.
STS-2 Columbia Landing — Agency provided indexes include the following topics: Covers landing of STS-2 Columbia at Edwards. Shows fixed and tracking camera CUs, MSs, and LS of Columbia landing to left, camera speeds and lens lengths vary. Keywords: DOD; USAF; STS-2; Space Shuttle Columbia; NASA; National Aeronautic and Space Administration; T-38 Talon; Aircraft.
JSC (Edwards) - STS-2 Lakebed: High-Speed Tracking (800mm Lens - 96 FPayload Specialist, 500mm Lens - 96 FPayload Specialist, Fixed Runway Camera)
This recording captures the on-orbit activities of STS-2, highlighting the crew's operational procedures and interactions during the mission. Notably, it includes discussions among the crew members as they manage various tasks in the shuttle's environment. The recording also features specific protocols related to the mission's objectives, emphasizing the importance of maintaining cleanliness and organization in the workspace.
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