WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Flames shoot from the nozzles of Space Shuttle Columbia's three main engines during the successful 20-second static firing which capped a formal rehearsal for the maiden flight of Columbia, scheduled for early April. Remotely operated cameras inside the pad perimeter snapped closeup views of the milestone event, which took place at 8:45 a.m. on February 20, 1981. The three main engines reached 100 percent power -- over 1 million pounds of thrust -- during the test. Hold-down bolts secured the vehicle to its mobile launcher platform.