space_shuttle

The Space Shuttle was a partially reusable spacecraft operated by NASA from 1981 until 2011.

The main part of the Space Shuttle was the orbiter: the reusable spaceplane that actually transported crew and cargo into space. Launched vertically with the aid of a rocket, the orbiter would subsequently land like a conventional airplane upon return. Six orbiters (five operational) were built between 1974 and 1991, and would fly a total of 135 missions over a 30 year period, during which it played a crucial role in the construction of the International Space Station.

After their retirement, all but two (Challenger & Columbia) of the orbiters were preserved and are currently on display at museums in the United States.

Examples

• !asset #48186303: Liftoff
• !asset #48186502: Landing

Orbiters

• Enterprise prototype, not spaceworthy
• Columbia (lost, 2003)
• Challenger (lost, 1986)
• Discovery
• Atlantis
• Endeavour

See also

• Buran (spacecraft)
• Canadarm

External links

• "Wikipedia: Space Shuttle":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_shuttle
• "NASA.gov":https://www.nasa.gov/space-shuttle/