Stumble ThisOn April 12, 1981, the space shuttle Columbia was launched, beginning the first manned shuttle mission, STS-1, and a new era in space flight. It was the first of four successful test missions to prove out the shuttle systems. Note the white External Tank.
Another view of the launch through SRB separation (video not as good):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwLlzUSOW_E
The landing at Edwards AFB 2 days later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPexsehcMhw
And a short compilation clip of the mission:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt1aR72iZm8.
Another view of the launch through SRB separation (video not as good):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwLlzUSOW_E
The landing at Edwards AFB 2 days later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPexsehcMhw
And a short compilation clip of the mission:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt1aR72iZm8.
I'm not really sure. And I probably should know since they build those tanks about 30 miles from where I grew up. My best guess is that they changed the foam material in which the tanks are encased after the test missions. I looked for other archive photos to see if the other 3 test missions had white external tanks. Could only find the 4th and it did. The next photo I could find was many missions later, so I'm not sure when it changed over.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_shuttle_external_tank#Evolution_of_the_ET