| Order | Launch date | Mission | Shuttle | Crew | Duration | Launch pad | Landing site | Notes | Refs. |
| 1 | 12 April 1981 12:00:04 UTC 07:00:04 EST | STS-1 | Columbia | 2 | 02d 06h | LC-39A | Edwards | First orbital flight test First reusable orbital spacecraft flight Maiden flight of Columbia Maiden flight of the Space Shuttle program | |
| 2 | 12 November 1981 15:10:00 UTC 10:10:00 EST | STS-2 | Columbia | 2 | 02d 06h | LC-39A | Edwards | Second orbital flight test First reuse of a crewed orbital space vehicle First test of Canadarm robot arm Truncated due to fuel cell problem Shortest orbital mission flown | |
| 3 | 22 March 1982 16:00:00 UTC 11:00:00 EST | STS-3 | Columbia | 2 | 08d 00h | LC-39A | White Sands | Third orbital test Only landing at White Sands, New Mexico | |
| 4 | 27 June 1982 15:00:00 UTC 11:00:00 EDT | STS-4 | Columbia | 2 | 07d 01h | LC-39A | Edwards | Fourth and final orbital flight test First Department of Defense (DoD) payload | |
| 5 | 11 November 1982 12:19:00 UTC 07:19:00 EST | STS-5 | Columbia | 4 | 05d 02h | LC-39A | Edwards | First "operational" flight Multiple comsat deployments First Extravehicular activity of program canceled due to suit problems | |
| 6 | 4 April 1983 18:30:00 UTC 13:30:00 EST | STS-6 | Challenger | 4 | 05d 00h | LC-39A | Edwards | Tracking and data relay satellite (TDRS-A) deployment Maiden flight of Challenger First Space Shuttle Extravehicular activity | |
| 7 | 18 June 1983 11:33:00 UTC 07:33:00 EDT | STS-7 | Challenger | 5 | 06d 02h | LC-39A | Edwards | First American woman in space, Sally Ride Multiple comsat deployments First deployment and retrieval of a Shuttle pallet satellite | |
| 8 | 30 August 1983 06:32:00 UTC 02:32:00 EDT | STS-8 | Challenger | 5 | 06d 01h | LC-39A | Edwards | Comsat deployment First flight of an African American in space, Guion Bluford Test of robot arm on heavy payloads with Payload Flight Test Article First night launch First night landing | |
| 9 | 28 November 1983 16:00:00 UTC 11:00:00 EST | STS-9 | Columbia | 6 | 10d 07h | LC-39A | Edwards | First Spacelab mission First European Space Agency Astronaut on a shuttle mission and first West German in space Ulf Merbold | |
| 10 | 3 February 1984 13:00:00 UTC 08:00:00 EST | STS-41-B | Challenger | 5 | 07d 23h | LC-39A | Kennedy SLF | Deployed two Comsats First untethered spacewalk by Bruce McCandless II with Manned Maneuvering Unit First landing at Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Dry run of equipment for Solar Maximum Mission rescue | |
| 11 | 6 April 1984 13:58:00 UTC 08:58:00 EST | STS-41-C | Challenger | 5 | 06d 23h | LC-39A | Edwards | Solar Maximum Mission servicing First satellite rescue by astronauts Long Duration Exposure Facility deployment | |
| 12 | 30 August 1984 12:41:50 UTC 08:41:50 EDT | STS-41-D | Discovery | 6 | 06d 00h | LC-39A | Edwards | Multiple comsat deployments Maiden flight of Discovery First Jewish American in space, Judith Resnik Test of OAST-1 Solar Array | |
| 13 | 5 October 1984 11:03:00 UTC 07:03:00 EDT | STS-41-G | Challenger | 7 | 08d 05h | LC-39A | Kennedy SLF | Earth Radiation Budget Satellite deployment First flight of two women in space, Sally Ride and Kathryn Sullivan First woman in space twice, Ride First spacewalk by American woman, Sullivan First Canadian in space, Marc Garneau First spaceflight of Australian origin and first Oceanian in space, Paul Scully-Power | |
| 14 | 8 November 1984 12:15:00 UTC 07:15:00 EST | STS-51-A | Discovery | 5 | 07d 23h | LC-39A | Kennedy SLF | Multiple comsat deployments First mother in space, Anna Lee Fisher Retrieval of two other comsats (Palapa B2 and Westar VI), which were subsequently refurbished on Earth and reflown | |
| 15 | 24 January 1985 19:50:00 UTC 14:50:00 EST | STS-51-C | Discovery | 5 | 03d 01h | LC-39A | Kennedy SLF | First classified Department of Defense (DoD) mission Magnum satellite deployment First flight of an Asian American in space, Ellison Onizuka | |
| 16 | 12 April 1985 13:59:05 UTC 08:59:05 EST | STS-51-D | Discovery | 7 | 06d 23h | LC-39A | Kennedy SLF | Multiple comsat deployments First flight of a sitting politician in space, Jake Garn First impromptu Extravehicular activity of program to fix Syncom F3 (Leasat 3) | |
| 17 | 29 April 1985 16:02:18 UTC 12:02:18 EDT | STS-51-B | Challenger | 7 | 07d 00h | LC-39A | Edwards | First mission with Spacelab module in a fully operational configuration Conducted experiments in microgravity First African-American Space Shuttle pilot, Frederick D. Gregory | |
| 18 | 17 June 1985 11:33:00 UTC 07:33:00 EDT | STS-51-G | Discovery | 7 | 07d 01h | LC-39A | Edwards | Multiple comsat deployments First French in space, Patrick Baudry Flight of first member of royalty, Saudi, Muslim, and Arab in space, Sultan bin Salman Al Saud | |
| 19 | 29 July 1985 22:00:00 UTC 18:00:00 EDT | STS-51-F | Challenger | 7 | 07d 22h | LC-39A | Edwards | Spacelab mission Abort to Orbit. Faulty temperature sensor incorrectly indicated that fuel turbine discharge temperature exceeded the limit. Therefore, one main engine was shut down at T+345 s, resulting in a much lower orbit than planned. All mission objectives achieved | |
| 20 | 27 August 1985 10:58:01 UTC 06:58:01 EDT | STS-51-I | Discovery | 5 | 07d 02h | LC-39A | Edwards | Multiple comsat deployments Rescue of Syncom F3 (Leasat-3) | |
| 21 | 3 October 1985 15:15:30 UTC 11:15:30 EDT | STS-51-J | Atlantis | 5 | 04d 01h | LC-39A | Edwards | Second classified DoD mission Defense Satellite Communications System satellite deployment Maiden flight of Atlantis | |
| 22 | 30 October 1985 17:00:00 UTC 12:00:00 EST | STS-61-A | Challenger | 8 | 07d 00h | LC-39A | Edwards | Largest crew on a spaceflight Third flight of Spacelab Spacelab-D1 microgravity experiments Mission funded by Germany Last successful mission of Challenger First Dutchman in space, Wubbo Ockels | |
| 23 | 26 November 1985 24:29:00 UTC 19:29:00 EST | STS-61-B | Atlantis | 7 | 06d 21h | LC-39A | Edwards | Multiple comsat deployment EASE/ACCESS experiment First Mexican and Hispanic or Latino in space, Rodolfo Neri Vela | |
| 24 | 12 January 1986 11:55:00 UTC 06:55:00 EST | STS-61-C | Columbia | 7 | 06d 02h | LC-39A | Edwards | Comsat deployment Flight of US Representative Bill Nelson Second African-American Space Shuttle pilot, Charles Bolden Last successful mission before STS-51-L | |
| 25 | 28 January 1986 16:38:00 UTC 11:38:00 EST | STS-51-L | Challenger | 7 | 01m 13s | LC-39B | Did not land | Planned tracking and data relay satellite (TDRS-B) and Spartan Halley deployment First Space Shuttle launch from LC-39B First private citizen astronaut, Christa McAuliffe (part of Teacher in Space Project) First fatal Space Shuttle mission First first-time astronauts to die during mission besides McAuliffe, Michael J. Smith and Gregory Jarvis | |
| 26 | 29 September 1988 15:37:00 UTC 11:37:00 EDT | STS-26 | Discovery | 5 | 04d 01h | LC-39B | Edwards | Second total and first successful launch from LC-39B Tracking and data relay satellite (TDRS-C) deployment First post-Challenger flight First Space Shuttle mission with an all-veteran crew | |
| 27 | 2 December 1988 14:30:34 UTC 09:30:34 EST | STS-27 | Atlantis | 5 | 04d 09h | LC-39B | Edwards | Third classified DoD mission First post-Challenger flight to have first-time astronauts, Guy S. Gardner and William M. Shepherd Lacrosse 1 deployment Heavy damage to the thermal protection system resulted in extreme heat damage to the right wing | |
| 28 | 13 March 1989 14:57:00 UTC 09:57:00 EST | STS-29 | Discovery | 5 | 04d 23h | LC-39B | Edwards | Tracking and data relay satellite (TDRS-D) deployment IMAX camera Space Station Heat Pipe Advanced Radiator Element I space station radiator experiment | |
| 29 | 4 May 1989 18:46:59 UTC 14:46:59 EDT | STS-30 | Atlantis | 5 | 04d 00h | LC-39B | Edwards | Magellan Venus probe deployment First post-Challenger flight to carry a female astronaut | |
| 30 | 8 August 1989 12:37:00 UTC 08:37:00 EDT | STS-28 | Columbia | 5 | 05d 01h | LC-39B | Edwards | Fourth classified DoD mission Satellite Data System deployment | |
| 31 | 18 October 1989 16:53:40 UTC 12:53:40 EDT | STS-34 | Atlantis | 5 | 04d 23h | LC-39B | Edwards | Galileo Jupiter probe deployment First post-Challenger flight to have a first-time woman astronaut, Ellen S. Baker First time since the Challenger disaster with two women astronauts, Baker and Shannon Lucid IMAX camera | |
| 32 | 22 November 1989 24:23:30 UTC 19:23:30 EST | STS-33 | Discovery | 5 | 05d 00h | LC-39B | Edwards | Fifth classified DoD mission Deployment of Magnum First African-American Space Shuttle commander, Frederick D. Gregory | |
| 33 | 9 January 1990 12:35:00 UTC 07:35:00 EST | STS-32 | Columbia | 5 | 10d 21h | LC-39A | Edwards | Syncom IV-F5 satellite deployment Long Duration Exposure Facility retrieval IMAX camera | |
| 34 | 28 February 1990 07:50:22 UTC 02:50:22 EST | STS-36 | Atlantis | 5 | 04d 10h | LC-39A | Edwards | Sixth classified DoD mission Misty reconnaissance satellite deployment | |
| 35 | 24 April 1990 12:33:51 UTC 08:33:51 EDT | STS-31 | Discovery | 5 | 05d 01h | LC-39B | Edwards | Hubble Space Telescope (HST) deployment | |
| 36 | 6 October 1990 11:47:15 UTC 07:47:15 EDT | STS-41 | Discovery | 5 | 04d 02h | LC-39B | Edwards | Ulysses/Inertial Upper Stage solar probe deployment | |
| 37 | 15 November 1990 23:48:15 UTC 18:48:15 EST | STS-38 | Atlantis | 5 | 04d 21h | LC-39A | Kennedy SLF | Seventh classified DoD mission Likely SDS2-2 deployed | |
| 38 | 2 December 1990 06:49:01 UTC 01:49:01 EST | STS-35 | Columbia | 7 | 08d 23h | LC-39B | Edwards | Use of ASTRO-1 observatory First post-Challenger mission to have a crew of 7 First time since the Challenger disaster to have two payload specialists, Samuel T. Durrance and Ronald A. Parise | |
| 39 | 5 April 1991 14:22:45 UTC 09:22:45 EST | STS-37 | Atlantis | 5 | 05d 23h | LC-39B | Edwards | Compton Gamma Ray Observatory deployment and EVA repair | |
| 40 | 28 April 1991 11:33:14 UTC 07:33:14 EDT | STS-39 | Discovery | 7 | 08d 07h | LC-39A | Kennedy SLF | First unclassified DoD mission (eighth DoD mission overall) Military science experiments | |
| 41 | 5 June 1991 13:24:51 UTC 09:24:51 EDT | STS-40 | Columbia | 7 | 09d 02h | LC-39B | Edwards | Spacelab mission First space mission with three women | |
| 42 | 2 August 1991 15:02:00 UTC 11:02:00 EDT | STS-43 | Atlantis | 5 | 08d 21h | LC-39A | Kennedy SLF | Tracking and data relay satellite (TDRS-E) deployment First woman in space thrice, Shannon Lucid | |
| 43 | 12 September 1991 23:11:04 UTC 19:11:04 EDT | STS-48 | Discovery | 5 | 05d 08h | LC-39A | Edwards | Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite deployment | |
| 44 | 24 November 1991 23:44:00 UTC 18:44:00 EST | STS-44 | Atlantis | 6 | 06d 22h | LC-39A | Edwards | Second unclassified DoD mission (ninth DoD mission overall) DSP satellite deployment | |
| 45 | 22 January 1992 14:52:33 UTC 09:52:33 EST | STS-42 | Discovery | 7 | 08d 01h | LC-39A | Edwards | Spacelab mission First Canadian woman in space, Roberta Bondar | |
| 46 | 24 March 1992 13:13:40 UTC 08:13:40 EST | STS-45 | Atlantis | 7 | 08d 22h | LC-39A | Kennedy SLF | ATLAS-1 science platform Second African-American Space Shuttle commander, Charles Bolden First spaceflight of British and English origin, Michael Foale First Belgian in space, Dirk Frimout | |
| 47 | 7 May 1992 23:40:00 UTC 19:40:00 EDT | STS-49 | Endeavour | 7 | 08d 21h | LC-39B | Edwards | Intelsat VI hand-retrieval and repair Maiden flight of Endeavour First three-person Extravehicular activity Assembly of Station by EVA Methods (ASEM) space station truss experiment EVA Record four EVAs total for mission First landing with a drag chute | |
| 48 | 25 June 1992 16:12:23 UTC 12:12:23 EDT | STS-50 | Columbia | 7 | 13d 19h | LC-39A | Kennedy SLF | Spacelab mission | |
| 49 | 31 July 1992 13:56:48 UTC 09:56:48 EDT | STS-46 | Atlantis | 7 | 07d 23h | LC-39B | Kennedy SLF | Deployment of EURECA Deployment of National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Italian Space Agency Tethered Satellite System (TSS) First Italian in space, Franco Malerba First Swiss in space, Claude Nicollier | |
