Model, Space Shuttle, Final Orbiter Concept
name: label: Manufacturer
content: Rockwell International Corporation (Huntington and Downey, CA)
notes: label: Summary
content: NASA used this Space Shuttle orbiter concept model in wind tunnel tests to learn about the flight characteristics of the vehicle's shape. Although the orbiter would spend most of its time in space, its aerodynamic shape would affect its passage through the atmosphere during launch and descent. Straight wing designs were considered and tested; however a delta wing design was finally chosen, in part to meet U.S. Air Force requirements for high cross-range maneuverability during final descent. Delta wings meant a heavier orbiter and more surface heating during reentry, but they also permitted the orbiter to glide farther without power to reach a runway. NASA transferred a variety of wind tunnel and concept models to the Museum after settling on the final Space Shuttle design.
place: label: Country of Origin
content: United States of America
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Air and Space Museum Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Air and Space Museum
identifier: label: Inventory Number
content: A19760754000
objectType: label: Type
content: MODELS-Wind Tunnel
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Materials
content: Aluminum, epoxy, clear protective coating, steel
label: Dimensions
content: 3-D: 54.6 × 34.9 × 20.6cm (1 ft. 9 1/2 in. × 1 ft. 1 3/4 in. × 8 1/8 in.)