Launch of the Shuttle Columbia and begining of STS 61-C mission

STS61C-S-048 (12 Jan. 1986) --- This is a wide shot of the early morning launch at Florida?s Kennedy Space Center of the space shuttle Columbia and the STS-61C crew on Jan. 12, 1986. Onboard were the following crew members -- Mission Commander Robert L. Gibson and Pilot Charles F. Bolden, along with Mission Specialists Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Steven A. Hawley and George D. Nelson and Payload Specialists Robert J. Cenker of RCA and U.S. Rep. Bill Nelson. Photo credit: NASA