This week in 1994, space shuttle Atlantis returned to work for its first flight since July 1992 after being refurbished. STS-66 advanced comprehensive efforts to collect data about sun’s energy output, the chemical makeup of the Earth’s middle atmosphere and how these factors affect global ozone levels. NASA missions and researchers address some of the critical challenges facing our planet today and in the future, such as climate change, sea level rise, freshwater resources and extreme weather events. The NASA History Program is responsible for generating, disseminating and preserving NASA’s remarkable history and providing a comprehensive understanding of the institutional, cultural, social, political, economic, technological and scientific aspects of NASA’s activities in aeronautics and space. For more pictures like this one and to connect to NASA’s history, visit the History Program’s webpage.
Image credit: NASA