30 years ago, NASA put Challenger behind it and sent a Space Shuttle back out into the black

Chipped tiles and a sweaty crew, but relief for the nervous space agency

While NASA continues its 60th birthday celebrations and Russia gives a slight cough and gestures vaguely at the silver beach-ball sized Sputnik it flung into orbit 61 years ago this week, another anniversary ticked over: it is 30 years since the Space Shuttle returned to flight."