Launch Vehicles
Space Shuttle
United States
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America's partially reusable crewed launch system, comprising a winged orbiter, an expendable external fuel tank and two recoverable solid rocket boosters. It flew 135 missions between 1981 and 2011, building the International Space Station, deploying the Hubble Space Telescope, and remaining the most complex flying machine built until vehicles like Starship surpassed it in scale.
Facts
Vehicle ClassPartially reusable crewed launch vehicle 1 ManufacturerRockwell International (orbiter), Martin Marietta (external tank), Morton Thiokol (solid rocket boosters) 2 First Flight DateDate of STS-1, Columbia's first flight. StatusRetired in 2011 after STS-135, its final mission; two of five orbiters were lost in the Challenger (1986) and Columbia (2003) disasters. 2 Payload to LEO (kg)Approximately 27,500 kg. 2 Cross-Tradition Connections
Mission Of
The launch vehicle system that flew every mission of the Space Shuttle Program.
Operated By
Sources
1. Encyclopedia Astronautica
http://astronautix.com/s/shuttle.htmlQuote, http://astronautix.com/s/shuttle.html
The manned reusable space system which was designed to slash the cost of space transport and replace all expendable launch vehicles.
2. NASA History Office
National Aeronautics and Space Administrationhttps://www.nasa.gov/space-shuttle-recordation/orbiter-vehicle/Quote, https://www.nasa.gov/space-shuttle-recordation/orbiter-vehicle/
The orbiter was the heart and brains of the Space Shuttle and served as the crew transport vehicle that carried astronauts to and from space.
2. NASA History Office
National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationOperated By: NASAView the Source 2. NASA History Office
National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationMission Of: Space Shuttle ProgramView the Source Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
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