NASA’s first re-useable launch vehicle Columbia, heralded the start of a new era in space exploration.  The revolutionary craft took off from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 12 April 1981, with Commander John W. Young and Pilot Robert L. Crippen at the controls.  Completing 37 Earth orbits during its 1,074,567 mile flight, Columbia glided back to Earth and landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California on 14 April. The Space Shuttle completed twenty-seven missions, but tragedy struck on 1st February 2003. On the 28th mission, minor damage to the external surface on take-off severely compromised the craft. On re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated, killing all seven crew members. Planned shuttle missions, were consequently aborted. The supplying and staffing of the International Space Station was undertaken by the Russian Space Agency for more than two years. Flights were finally resumed in July, 2005 when the Space Shuttle Discovery was launched.

	Cook Islands (self-governing dependency of New Zealand)
DENOMINATION	$1.00 (One Dollar) Non Circulating Legal Tender
SERIES	Orbit and Beyond Series - UNIQUE ROTATING COIN SERIES
DATE	2009
FINISH	Proof with selective colouring
REVERSE DESCRIPTION	Design: The reverse design portrays a montage of images symbolising a Space Shuttle launching into orbit. The design orbits around a coloured image of the Earth. Legend: 1981  -  FIRST SPACE SHUTTLE
OBVERSE DESCRIPTION	Design: Queen Elizabeth II crowned young head facing right by Raphael Maklouf Legend: ELIZABETH II COOK ISLANDS 1 DOLLAR / 1oz 999 SILVER 2010 The Date and the denomination surround another coloured image of the Earth
METAL	.999 Pure Silver
MASS	31.140 grams (Central core is made of non-precious metal & outer ring contains 1oz of pure silver.)
DIAMETER	38.79mm
MINTAGE	No more than 25,000
MINT	Perth Mint
DOCUMENTATION	A Numbered Certificate of Authenticity included
PRESENTATION	Each coin, which is protected by an acrylic capsule, is housed in an elliptical-shaped silver display case.  The case comes in a blue box-shipper depicting a Shuttle blast-off.
RELATED PRODUCTS	To find out more, CLICK on product below:
	2007 50th Anniversary of Sputnik 1957 2008 First Man In Space 1961 Yuri Gagarin 2009 First Space Walk 1965 2009 First Man on the Moon 1969 2010 First Space Shuttle 1981 other Cook Islands Coins
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