The Space Shuttle is a partially reusable spacecraft system operated by NASA from 1981 to 2011, combining a winged orbiter, external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters. It was the first spacecraft capable of carrying humans into orbit and returning to Earth to fly again, and it was used to launch satellites and interplanetary probes, service the Hubble Space Telescope, and build and supply the International Space Station.
Facts
SignificanceFirst operational orbital spacecraft designed for reuse, flying 135 missions from 1981 to 2011 that launched satellites and probes, deployed the Hubble Space Telescope, and helped build and service the International Space Station. 1 Manufacturer or BuilderNorth American Rockwell 1 FAQs
How long could a Space Shuttle mission last and how many people flew on it?
Usually five to 16 days with a crew of five to seven; the record was 17.5 days.
Missions were normally planned for anywhere from five to 16 days. The longest single mission was 17.5 days, flown as STS-80 in November 1996. The smallest crew was two people, on the first few missions, and the largest was eight, though crews normally ranged from five to seven people. The Shuttle was designed to reach orbits from about 185 kilometers to 643 kilometers high, or 115 to 400 statute miles.
Connections
In the Other Atlases
Manufactured By
Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Space Shuttle
WikipediaDesign and development, orbiter contract award
The following August, NASA awarded the contract to build the orbiter to North American Rockwell, which had by then constructed a full-scale mock-up, later named Inspiration.
Introduction, second paragraph
Operational missions launched numerous satellites, interplanetary probes, and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), conducted science experiments in orbit, participated in the Shuttle-Mir program with Russia, and participated in the construction and servicing of the International Space Station (ISS).
Introduction, second paragraph, STS-1 first flight
The first (STS-1) of four orbital test flights occurred in 1981, leading to operational flights (STS-5) beginning in 1982.
In Group: Crewed Spacecraft, Lead sentence
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S.
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