The first of four shuttle orbital test flights occurred in 1981 leading to operational flights beginning in 1982, all launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The system is scheduled to be retired from service in 2011 after 135 launches.

Their names, in the order they were built, are Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour.

The Enterprise was flown only within Earth's atmosphere, during Shuttle approach and landing tests conducted in 1977. 
Columbia flew the first five Shuttle missions, beginning in April 1981, and was modified to fly extended-duration missions as long as 16 days.
Columbia and its seven-member crew were lost during reentry on Feb. 1, 2003. 
Challenger was built as a vibration-test vehicle and then upgraded to become the second operational Shuttle. 
Challenger and its seven-member crew were lost in a launch accident on Jan. 28, 1986. 
Discovery made its first flight in August 1984,
Atlantis followed in October 1985. 
Endeavour, built to replace Challenger, made its debut in May 1992 with a dramatic mission to rescue a stranded communications satellite.

It's been a privilage (and heartbreak) to have witnessed these events in my lifetime.