Columbia was the first Space Shuttle orbiter to fly in space.
Its first mission, STS-1, launched on 12 April 1981 with astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen aboard. Columbia landed at Edwards Air Force Base on 14 April after demonstrating that the new shuttle system could launch like a rocket and land like an airplane.
Enterprise was the first shuttle orbiter built, but it was used only for atmospheric and approach tests and never reached orbit. Columbia therefore became the first shuttle to conduct an orbital mission.
Columbia flew 28 missions between 1981 and 2003. It was lost during reentry on 1 February 2003, when damage to its thermal-protection system caused the vehicle to break apart.