Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Watch the launch here: 🚀 STS-26 Launch Coverage (1988) – NASA Returns to Flight: youtu.be/E7GLJUiDQOk
Witness the emotional conclusion of NASA’s historic “Return to Flight” with this STS-26 Space Shuttle Discovery landing coverage, originally broadcast in 1988.
This segment features Peter Jennings and Lynn Sherr reporting for ABC News, joining coverage approximately seven minutes before landing as Discovery completes its successful re-entry and glide to a perfect touchdown at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
The moment marks the triumphant end of STS-26, the first shuttle mission since the Challenger tragedy. It was more than just a landing — it was a symbol of perseverance, precision, and renewed faith in America’s space program.
The STS-26 crew:
Frederick H. Hauck – Commander
Richard O. Covey – Pilot
John M. Lounge – Mission Specialist
George D. “Pinky” Nelson – Mission Specialist
David C. Hilmers – Mission Specialist
Digitally transferred from an original 1988 ABC broadcast recording, this coverage captures not only the technical achievement of the flight but also the emotional weight of NASA’s return to confidence and success.
#STS26 #SpaceShuttleDiscovery #NASA #PeterJennings #LynnSherr #SpaceLanding #1988Broadcast #SpaceHistory #NASAHistory #DiscoveryLanding #ReturnToFlight #VintageBroadcast #1980sTV #RetroTV #SpaceExploration #ScienceHistory #ThrowbackTV #Astronauts #SpaceProgram #EdwardsAFB
Watch the launch here: 🚀 STS-26 Launch Coverage (1988) – NASA Returns to Flight: youtu.be/E7GLJUiDQOk
Witness the emotional conclusion of NASA’s historic “Return to Flight” with this STS-26 Space Shuttle Discovery landing coverage, originally broadcast in 1988.
This segment features Peter Jennings and Lynn Sherr reporting for ABC News, joining coverage approximately seven minutes before landing as Discovery completes its successful re-entry and glide to a perfect touchdown at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
The moment marks the triumphant end of STS-26, the first shuttle mission since the Challenger tragedy. It was more than just a landing — it was a symbol of perseverance, precision, and renewed faith in America’s space program.
The STS-26 crew:
Frederick H. Hauck – Commander
Richard O. Covey – Pilot
John M. Lounge – Mission Specialist
George D. “Pinky” Nelson – Mission Specialist
David C. Hilmers – Mission Specialist
Digitally transferred from an original 1988 ABC broadcast recording, this coverage captures not only the technical achievement of the flight but also the emotional weight of NASA’s return to confidence and success.
#STS26 #SpaceShuttleDiscovery #NASA #PeterJennings #LynnSherr #SpaceLanding #1988Broadcast #SpaceHistory #NASAHistory #DiscoveryLanding #ReturnToFlight #VintageBroadcast #1980sTV #RetroTV #SpaceExploration #ScienceHistory #ThrowbackTV #Astronauts #SpaceProgram #EdwardsAFB
