Vermot de Pas: NASA Photographs - History of Space Conquest, 172873, Paris

U.S. Air Force astronaut Robert L. Stewart tests the manned hand-controlled nitrogen-propelled maneuvering unit (MMU)

Historic mission of the space shuttle CHALLENGER. Astronaut Bruce Mc Candless becomes the first human to fly untethered in the vacuum of space.

In the cargo bay of the space shuttle CHALLENGER, astronaut Robert L. Stewart prepares to use the MMU (Maneuvering Unit)

Liftoff of Space Shuttle Discovery on January 24, 1985.

Space Shuttle Landing at Edwards Military Base, California,

Liftoff of the Space Shuttle Discovery (Mission STS-STS-51G)

Astronaut Jerry L. Ross, anchored at the foot of the Remote Manipulator System (RMS)

Spectacular close-up view of Space Shuttle Atlantis taking off from the Kennedy Space Center

Liftoff of Space Shuttle Atlantis from the Kennedy Space Center for a mission entirely dedicated to the Department of Defense

Liftoff of Space Shuttle Atlantis from the Kennedy Space Center for a mission entirely dedicated to the Department of Defense

Impressive lift-off of Space Shuttle Atlantis (Mission STS 27) for a military mission from the Kennedy Space Center.

Launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia (Mission STS-28) for a mission dedicated to the U.S. Department of Defense

Magnificent night takeoff of the space shuttle DISCOVERY (STS-33)

Beautiful panorama of the night liftoff of space shuttle Atlantis (Mission STS-?) for a military mission.

Fantastic panoramic of a space shuttle night takeoff.

Space shuttle night takeoff.

Sensational plume of smoke from the Space Shuttle Columbia during liftoff

View of Space from the Space Shuttle ATLANTIS (Mission STS-37),

Perfect early-morning liftoff of Space Shuttle Discovery (Mission STS-39) from Kennedy Space Base, Florida.

Impressive and rare bird's-eye view of the liftoff of the Space Shuttle Columbia (Mission STS-40)

Perfect takeoff of Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-37) on its maiden flight from the Kennedy Space Center

This superb global view of the surface of Venus is composed of mosaics of images from the Magellan space probe's synthetic aperture radar.

Space Shuttle Columbia (Mission STS-50). Liftoff of the Space Shuttle Columbia for a 13-day mission in Space

A brilliant flash of light reflects off the Kennedy Space Center marsh for this majestic elevation of the Space Shuttle Discovery

Space Shuttle Columbia (Mission STS-58). View of the northern coast of Kuwait, including the southern part of Kuwait City and the main oil fields in the south of the country.