First Shuttle Landing - STS-1

Two days after launch, the shuttle Columbia returned to Earth.  It was the first time anyone saw an orbiter land.  This NASA video depicts Columbia's return to Edwards Air Force Base.

Two men - John Young and Robert Crippen - were aboard the shuttle as it orbited the Earth 36 times.  Young was a veteran of many space missions:  Gemini 3, Gemini 10, Apollo 10, Apollo 16 and STS-1.  He would also serve on another shuttle mission, the STS-9 flight of Columbia (her sixth trip into space).  Crippen served on four different shuttle trips.

Credits

NASA video of STS-1 landing, online courtesy NASA.