![The space shuttle Columbia lifts off into a dark sky, illuminated by the flame pouring from its engine, which reflects as well off the clouds of billowing smoke surrounding it.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/columbia-liftoff-1.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Columbia Servicing Mission 3B Liftoff
Billows of smoke and steam flow over the launch pad as Space Shuttle Columbia leaps into space on mission STS-109. Liftoff occurred at 5:22:02:08 a.m. CST (11:22:02:08 GMT) on March 1, 2002. This was the 27th flight of the vehicle and 108th in the history of the Shuttle program. The goal of mission STS-109 was the maintenance and upgrade of the Hubble Space Telescope, to be carried out in five spacewalks.
Credits: NASA
Image CreditNASA
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