WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

S81-30505 (12 April 1981) --- Separation of space shuttle Columbia's external tank, photographed by motion picture cameras in the umbilical bays, occurred following the shutdown of the vehicle's three main engines. Columbia's cameras were able to record the bottom side of the tank as the orbiter headed toward its Earth-orbital mission with astronauts John W. Young and Robert L. Crippen aboard and the fuel tank fell toward Earth, passing through the atmosphere rapidly. Liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen umbilical connectors can be seen at the bottom of the tank. For orientation, the photo should be held with the rounded end at bottom of the frame.