Space and Astronomy Atlas

How The Universe Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Missions and Programs

Space Shuttle Program

Space Station and Space Shuttle Programs

NASA's program of reusable crewed spacecraft, flying 135 missions between 1981 and 2011. It built the International Space Station, serviced the Hubble Space Telescope, and suffered two fatal accidents, Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003.

Facts
Mission Type
Reusable crewed spacecraft program 1
Launch Date
1981-04-12 1
First flight, STS-1.
End Date
2011-07-21 1
Final landing, STS-135.
Outcome
Retired after 135 missions; two orbiters, Challenger and Columbia, were lost with all crew, leading to major safety redesigns after each accident. 1
Mission Type
Mission Type (category)
Crewed Mission 1
Connections

Associated With

Maxime Faget, Pioneers

Contributed to the basic aerodynamic shape of the Space Shuttle.

Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)

Crewed By

Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)

Operated By

Source NASA History Office

Spacecraft Of

Space Shuttle, Launch Vehicles

The launch vehicle system that flew every mission of the Space Shuttle Program.

Source NASA History Office
Sources
1. NASA History Office
National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationView the Source
Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Crewed By: Eileen Collins, Eileen Collins, lead paragraph section
    the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle
  • Crewed By: Mae Jemison, Mae Jemison, lead paragraph section
    aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992
  • Crewed By: Chris Hadfield, Chris Hadfield, Career section
    Hadfield performed two spacewalks
  • Associated With: Maxime Faget, Maxime Faget, lead section
  • Includes: Space Shuttle Columbia, Space Shuttle Columbia article, lead section (program)
    Columbia was the first of five Space Shuttle orbiters to fly in space, debuting the Space Shuttle launch vehicle on its maiden flight on April 12, 1981
  • Includes: Space Shuttle Challenger, Space Shuttle Challenger article, lead section (program)
    Space Shuttle Challenger (OV-099) was a Space Shuttle orbiter manufactured by Rockwell International and operated by NASA.
  • Includes: Space Shuttle Discovery, Space Shuttle Discovery article, lead section (program)
    Space Shuttle Discovery (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is a retired American Space Shuttle orbiter.
  • Includes: Space Shuttle Atlantis, Space Shuttle Atlantis article, lead section (program)
    Space Shuttle Atlantis (Orbiter Vehicle designation: OV-104) is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter vehicle which belongs to NASA, the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States.
  • Includes: Space Shuttle Endeavour, Space Shuttle Endeavour article, lead section (program)
    Space Shuttle Endeavour (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-105) is a retired orbiter from NASA's Space Shuttle program and the fifth and final operational Shuttle built.
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.