The Space Shuttle Challenger lifted off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A on mission STS 41-B on February 3, 1984. Aboard the Challenger were astronauts Vance D. Brand, Robert L. Gibson, Ronald E. McNair, Bruce McCandless II, and Robert L. Stewart. The first untethered spacewalks with the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) were made on this mission. This dramatic air to air picture was taken by astronaut John Young who was monitoring the launch in the cockpit of NASA's Shuttle Training Aircraft.

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Photo credit: © Space collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: administration, aeronautics, agency, american, challenger, exploration, explore, launch, national, science, shuttle, space, sts-41b, technology, vertical