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[[Image:KSC-95EC-0911.jpg|right|thumb|Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on mission STS-71.|300px]]

[[Image:KSC-95EC-0911.jpg|right|thumb|Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on mission STS-71.|250px]]

The '''Space Shuttle''', officially the '''Space Transportation System''' ('''STS''') was an [[United States|American]] space travel vehicle, designed to be capable of multiple flights. The shuttle was developed by the [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]] (NASA). Missions on the shuttle last for up to two weeks, and carry five to seven astronauts. The shuttle is the first space vehicle designed to be reusable.<ref>[http://science.howstuffworks.com/space-shuttle.htm How The Space Shuttle Works]</ref>

 

The '''Space Shuttle''', officially the '''Space Transportation System''' ('''STS''') is an [[United States|American]]-built space travel vehicle, designed to be capable of multiple flights. The shuttle was developed by the [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]] (NASA). Missions on the shuttle last for up to two weeks, and carry five to seven astronauts. The shuttle is the first space vehicle designed to be reusable.<ref>[http://science.howstuffworks.com/space-shuttle.htm How The Space Shuttle Works]</ref>

 

The Space Shuttle system consists of three components,  

The Space Shuttle system consists of three components,  

*two reuseable solid rocket boosters which (and will provide the main launch vehicles under the new Ares Launch program that follows the shuttle).  These provide nearly 80% of the thrust at takeoff

*Two reuseable solid rocket boosters which (and will provide the main launch vehicles under the new Ares Launch program that follows the shuttle) provide nearly 80% of the thrust at takeoff

*the rust-colored External Tank, which feeds fuel to three Space Shuttle Orbiter Main Engines  

*The rust-colored External Tank, which feeds fuel to three Space Shuttle Orbiter Main Engines  

*The orbiter itself, of which there are 3 operational.  The Orbiters are reused but are extensively refurbished after each flight.

*The orbiter itself, of which there are 3 operational.  The Orbiters are reused but are extensively refurbished after each flight.

NASA intends to close out the service life of the space shuttle program by completing work on the [[International Space Station]] by 2010, then switch over to the Orion class crew transport vehicle, using tried-and-true space capsule concepts from the 1960s which are designed to emphasize crew safety.

NASA intends to close out the service life of the space shuttle program by completing work on the [[International Space Station]] by 2010, then switch over to the Orion class crew transport vehicle, using tried-and-true space capsule concepts from the 1960s which are designed to emphasize crew safety.

The [[Soviet Union]] worked on a space shuttle project as well known as the Buran program. The Buran program was canceled due to lack of funding and the declining political situation. The Buran shuttle was launched into orbit in an unmanned test flight that succeeded however it did not fly again. The shuttle was destroyed in 2002, when it's hangar collapsed.

The [[Soviet Union]] worked on a space shuttle project as well known as the Buran program. The Buran program was canceled due to lack of funding and the declining political situation. The Buran shuttle was launched into orbit in an unmanned test flight that succeeded however it did not fly again. One Buran orbiter was destroyed in 2002, when its hangar collapsed.

==American Space Shuttle Program==

==American Space Shuttle Program==

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

|-

|-

! Shuttle Name

! Image

! Orbiter Designation

! Designation / Name

! Current Status

! Namesake

! First Flight

! First Flight

! Last Flight

! Last Flight

! Remarks

! Remarks

|-

|-

| Enterprise

| [[File:ECN-8611.jpg|150px|center]]

| OV-101

| OV-101<br/>[[Space Shuttle Enterprise|''Enterprise'']]

| On display at the [[Smithsonian Institution]].

| Originally to be named ''Constitution'', she was instead named for the fictional [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|starship]] of the television show ''[[Star Trek]]'' as a result of a large write-in campaign.<ref>[https://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/everydaylife/nasm_enterprise.html Shuttle Enterprise at Center of Museum's Space Hangar]</ref>  

| February 15th, 1977

| October 26th, 1977

| Used for atmospheric test flights.  Never flew in space.  Named after the ship in [[Star Trek (original series)|Star Trek]].<ref>[http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/everydaylife/nasm_enterprise.html Shuttle Enterprise at Center of Museum's Space Hangar]</ref>

|-

|-

| Pathfinder

| [[File:Pathfinder2.jpg|150px|center]]

| OV-098

| OV-098<br/>''Pathfinder''

| On display at the US Space & Rocket Center.

| -

| colspan="2" | No flights made.

| colspan="2" | No flights made

| Not an operational shuttle, but a full-sized mock-up used for various tests.<ref>[http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/pathfinder.html Pathfinder]</ref>

| On display at the US Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, Alabama

| A full-sized replica used for various ground-handling procedures.<ref>[http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/pathfinder.html Pathfinder]</ref>

|-

|-

| [[Space Shuttle Columbia|Columbia]]

| [[File:Columbia sts1 big.jpg|150px|center]]

| OV-102

| OV-102<br/>[[Space Shuttle Columbia|''Columbia'']]

| Destroyed.

| Named for an American sloop involved in the discovery of the Columbia River in what is now the western United States, 1792

| April 12th, 1981

| April 12, 1981

| February 1st, 2003

| January 16, 2003

|

| Lost on descent; crew killed, February 1, 2003

| First of the space shuttles to fly into space.

|-

|-

| [[Space Shuttle Challenger|Challenger]]

| [[File:KSC-86PC-0081.jpg|150px|center]]

| OV-099

| OV-099<br/>[[Space Shuttle Challenger|''Challenger'']]

| Destroyed.  

| Named for HMS ''Challenger'', a British research vessel during the 1870s<ref>http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/challenger.html</ref>

| April 4th, 1983

| April 4, 1983

| January 28th, 1986

| January 28, 1986

| Originally built for Earth-bound tests, but later converted for space flight.<ref>[http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/challenger-info.html Space Shuttle Overview: Challenger (OV-099)]</ref>

| Originally built for Earth-bound tests, but later converted for space flight.<ref>[https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/challenger-info.html Space Shuttle Overview: Challenger (OV-099)]</ref> Last flight carried [[Christa McAuliffe]], a New Hampshire high school teacher selected to be the first such individual under President [[Ronald Reagan]]'s [[Teacher in Space Project]].

|-

|-

| [[Space Shuttle Discovery|Discovery]]  

| [[File:Sts121-s-079.jpg|150px|center]]  

| OV-103

| OV-103<br/>[[Space Shuttle Discovery|''Discovery'']]

| Operational.

| Named for the ship which carried [[Henry Hudson]] on his search for the [[Northwest Passage]], as well as the second ship commanded by British explorer Captain [[James Cook]] in 1770's <ref>http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/discovery.html</ref>

| August 30th, 1984

| August 30, 1984

| March 28th, 2009

| February 24, 2011

|

| On display at the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Virginia<ref>https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/space-shuttle-discovery/nasm_A20120325000</ref>

|-

|-

| [[Space Shuttle Atlantis|Atlantis]]

| [[File:111611main resupply image 001hires.jpg|150px|center]]

| OV-104

| OV-104<br/>[[Space Shuttle Atlantis|''Atlantis'']]

| Operational.

| Named for the primary research vessel operated 1930-1966 by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Massachusetts<ref>http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/atlantis.html</ref>

| October 3rd, 1985

| October 3, 1985

| May 24th, 2009

| July 8, 2011

|

| On display at the Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida<ref>https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/explore-attractions/shuttle-a-ship-like-no-other</ref>

|-

|-

| [[Space Shuttle Endeavour|Endeavour]]

| [[File:Iss015e22574.jpg|150px|center]]

| OV-105

| OV-105<br/>[[Space Shuttle Endeavour|''Endeavour'']]

| Operational.

| Named for the first ship commanded by British explorer Captain [[James Cook]] in 1768 <ref>http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/endeavour.html</ref>

| May 7th, 1992

| May 7, 1992

| November 30th, 2008

| May 16, 2011

|

| Retired

|}

|}

==Tragedies==

==Tragedies==

Sadly twice space shuttles have been destroyed, killing all of the crew. Challenger rapidly disintegrated due to extreme aerodynamic forces on ascent, and Columbia disintegrated due to broken thermal tiles on descent.

Sadly two space shuttles have been destroyed, killing all of the crew. ''Challenger'' was destroyed on ascent January 28, 1986 due to O-ring failure on one of the external main boosters, and ''Columbia'' disintegrated during re-entry on February 1, 2003, as a result of thermal tile loss to one of its wings.

== References ==

== References ==