Photo of Space Shuttle Columbia signed 'To the City of San Diego, California, With our sincere best wishes to all of its warm-hearted, progressive and charming citizens', John Young, mission commander, Bob Crippen, pilot. Columbia was the first spaceworthy shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet, first launched on 4/12/81, STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before disintegrating during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th.