Space Shuttle

Space Shuttle Endeavour with cargo bays doors open in orbit.

> *Note: This article is about the orbiter as a spacecraft, for the Space Shuttle rocket, see Space Transportation System.*
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> "Yes, it had its flaws, and it didn’t quite live up to the hype of making spaceflight cheaper or safer, but boy oh boy did it have some unmatched capabilities!" - Tim Dodd, the Everyday Astronaut
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The **Space Shuttle** or **Space Transportation System Orbiter** was the first reusable spacecraft, and the first orbital spaceplane. It is possibly the most famous spacecraft of all time. It is the spacecraft portion of the **Space Transportation System** (**STS**), including the External Tank (ET) and Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs). However, the unofficial name 'Space Shuttle' stuck and is know used by everyone, even NASA. It was designed by NASA for sending crew, research supplies and satellites into space. It also aided in servicing the Hubble Telescope, allowing it to keep running for longer than it could have on it's own. However, perhaps it's greatest feat is the construction if the International Space Station, which would have been possible without it, but would have taken longer, cost more and most likely be more like *Mir* then what we know today. After the Space Shuttles were retired, NASA was left without a crew launch system. Today and in the near future, Boeing Starliner, SpaceX Dragon and expendable rocket launches fulfill these tasks.

The space shuttle is one of the largest spacecraft ever flown. The large cargo bay allowed deployment of large space station modules. During the Shuttle-*Mir* program, Space Shuttle orbiter Atlantis and others docked to the Russian station as a gesture of goodwill and international cooperation in space.

## History

The Space Shuttle Program ran from 1972-2011 and brought a new era of spaceflight. On April 12th, 1981, the new Space Shuttle Orbiter *Columbia* (OV-102) made history during it's maiden launch. 3 more orbiters were constructed and made their maiden flights shortly after, *Challenger* (OV-99) in 1983, *Discovery* (OV-103) in 1984 and *Atlantis* (OV-104) in 1985.

The Space Shuttle's history isn't all triumphs though, and contains some of the worst spaceflight accidents in history. Just a year after the first launch of *Atlantis*, *Challenger* was destroyed during a launch accident, along with all the crew members onboard. The shuttles were grounded for a few years for maintenance and repair to make sure that the accident didn't happen again. A new shuttle, *Endeavour* (OV-105) was built as a replacement for the lost orbiter. It's first launch was in 1992.

The shuttle program went well for the next couple years, until in 2003 the second catastrophe of the Shuttles happened. *Columbia* was destroyed during reentry into Earth's atmosphere, killing all eight crew members aboard. Unlike for *Challenger*, a replacement was not made for Columbia, and there were only 3 orbiters for the remainder of the program's life.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. On July 21st, 2011, the space shuttle program was ended when *Atlantis* touched down on the runway during the end of STS-135. The Space Shuttle Era was over, and for the next 9 years, America would have no way to launch humans into space, until in 2020 the SpaceX Demo-2 mission successfully launched 2 astronauts to the ISS onboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon.

## Other 'Space Shuttles'

The soviet *Buran*-class Shuttle was a Soviet copy of the Space Shuttle system (or ***Columbia*-class Shuttle**) except for small differences, like using 4 liquid fuel boosters instead of two solid fuel boosters, and no engines on the main orbiter. Unlike the shuttle, the orbiter and rocket were not considered to be the same thing. The rocket was called Energia, and was capable of launching other payloads besides the Buran orbiter, like the Polyus weapons platform. Buran was created by the USSR because they saw the Space Shuttle as a military threat and wanted to be on even playing grounds. Buran only made one flight before it was canceled due to the USSR's funds falling right before it collapsed. If history had turned out a little different, we might have seen Soviet and American Space Shuttles competing against each other for dominance in space.

In 1993, a replica of a space shuttle was constructed. It was given the name *Explorer* and the honorary designation of OV-100. It was later renamed *Independence*.

## List of Orbiters

This is a list of all the Space Shuttle orbiters.

Some replicas constructed include *America*, a Six Flags theme park attraction, *Inspiration*, a wood and steel mock-up made by North American Rockwell to make their bid to construct the shuttle fleet more appealing, and *Independence*, a replica made by the public in 1993, originally called *Explorer* and eventually given the honorary designation of OV-100 and put on display at Kennedy Space Center until the arrival of *Atlantis*.

Many new space shuttles featured in fiction have new names such as *Daedalus* in Space Cowboys, *Explorer* in Gravity, and *Freedom* and *Independence* from the 1993 Armageddon. Many of the names are based off of the replicas named above or other spacecraft, like the Project Daedalus ship.

## Gallery

Explosion made from Challenger's destruction during launch.Atlantis docked to MirChallenger landing at Kennedy Space Center after a mission.Enterprise prototype during a droptest.Space Shuttle Endeavour with its cargo bat doors open.The Space Shuttle Program logo.The cast of Star trek with the Enterprise prototype, named after the ship from the TV show.Baikal, a Buran-class orbiter derived from the STS design.
## Sources

* NASA Original Design Presentation
* Everyday Astronaut Comparison to Soyuz, Crew Dragon and Starliner.