The Space Transportation System or STS, NASA's name for the entire Space Shuttle Program, began flying astronauts into low-Earth orbit in 1981.

Approved as a national program in 1972, the Shuttle was a completely unique design because, except for the external tank, all parts are reusable. The purpose of the Shuttle is to deliver payloads into Earth orbit and to dock with satellites and the space station. When it returns to Earth, the Shuttle Orbiter and the solid rocket boosters can be recycled for another mission. A runway landing is much less costly than a parachute descent and sea recovery, such as the ones with the Apollo spacecraft.

Landing of the STS-1

• The Orbiter which houses the crew;
  
• A large external fuel tank, which holds fuel for the main engines; and
  
• Two solid rocket boosters, which provide most of the Shuttle's lift during the first 2 minutes of flight.

Endeavour Orbiter

The fleet of Space Shuttle Orbiters are all named after sailing vessels.

• Columbia (lost in 2003)
• Challenger (lost in 1986)
• Discovery  
• Atlantis
• Endeavour
  
  

Each of the three Space Shuttle Orbiters now in operation are designed to fly at least 100 missions. Altogether, they have flown a combined total of less than one-fourth of that.

Discovery was delivered in November 1983, and Atlantis was delivered in April 1985. Endeavour, which was built as a replacement following the Challenger accident, was delivered to NASA in May 1991.

Columbia was the first Space Shuttle orbiter delivered to NASA in March 1979 and was lost in an accident during re-entry in February, 2003. The Orbiter Challenger was delivered in July 1982 and was lost in an explosion during ascent in January 1986.

Click here to learn more about each of the Orbiters.

To look around inside the Shuttle using this virtual reality IPIX, you will first need to download the plug-in. Then click here to look inside the Shuttle.

To complete a Space Shuttle Launch Simulation on-line, click here!

Fish-eye view of the flight deck

Solid rocket booster separation

Major Program Achievements

 

The major achievements of the Space Shuttle Program include the launch and subsequent repair of the Hubble Space Telescope, the launch of the Chandra X-Ray and Compton Gamma Ray telescopes, the launch of the Galileo spacecraft that went to the planet Jupiter, and the release, repair, and retrieval of a variety of communications, military, and experimental satellites. 

Microgravity, which is approximately one-millionth the gravity experienced on Earth, is made possible in low-Earth orbit by a condition known as free fall. Free fall provides the microgravity environment for the occupants and experiments on board as the Shuttle falls around the Earth in such a way that the Shuttle stays the same height above ground.

1983

The STS-9 (SpaceLab-1) mission carried experiments in six science categories: astronomy and solar physics, space plasma physics, atmospheric physics, Earth observations, life sciences, and materials science. The first Spacelab mission flew 38 experiment facilities and some 70 investigations.

1985

The STS-51F (Spacelab-2) mission carried investigations in solar physics, atmospheric physics, plasma physics, high-energy astrophysics, infrared astronomy, technology research, and life sciences.

1991

The STS-40 (Space Life Sciences-1) mission carried 18 experiments, 10 to study changes in the crewmembers, 7 to study laboratory rats, and 1 to study jellyfish. The experiments involved cardiovascular/cardiopulmonary, neuroscience, musculoskeletal, endocrine, hematology, cell biology, and regulatory physiology research.

1995

The STS-73 (U.S. Microgravity Laboratory-2) mission carried microgravity investigations in fluid physics, materials science, biotechnology, combustion science, and commercial space processing technology.

1998

The STS-90 (Neurolab) mission conducted brain research to study neurological and behavioral changes in space.

1999

The STS-99 Shuttle Radar Topography mission mapped 80% of the Earth's land mass in 11 days.

2001

Expedition 2 conducted ADVANCED ASTROCULTURE to grow plants in a complete seed-to-seed cycle and also assessed the impact of space flight on gene expression.

2002

Expedition 6 conducted experiements using the Microgravity Science Glovebox-InSPACE to obtain basic data on magnetorheological fluids.

2003

Expedition 8 began Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students (EarthKAM), an education experiment, allowing students to program a digital camera aboard the Station to take pictures of a variety of geographical targets for study in the classroom.

The STS-107 mission conducted two separate OBPR experiments allowed different types of cell cultures to grow together in weightlessness to elevate their development of enhanced genetic characteristics -- one use was to combat prostate cancer, the other to improve crop yield.

2005

Expedition 11 studied changes in limb skeletal muscle and cellular mechanisms of muscle degradation are assessed to predict effects of human spaceflight during long duration exploration missions. Tests include calf muscle biopsies, performance tests and MRIs.

2006

Expedition 13 began an experiment that will evaluate the effect of stress in the space environment on the generation of genetic variation in model microbial cells. Passive Observatories for Experimental Microbial Systems, or POEMS will provide important information to help evaluate risks to humans flying in space to further understand bacterial infections that may occur during long duration space missions.

Satellite Rescue Missions

The Space Shuttle has performed many satellite rescue and repair missions since 1981. A few of the highlights are listed below.

1984

The STS-41C Challenger mission captured the Solar Maximum (Solar Max) scientific satellite and replaced faulty electronics.

The STS-51A Discovery mission captured the Westar and Palapa communications satellites stranded in low-Earth orbit and returned them to Earth.

 

Solar Max capture by Astronaut James van Hoften

1985

The STS-51I Discovery mission repaired the Syncom communications satellite stuck in low-Earth orbit.

1990

The STS-32 Columbia mission recovered the LDEF (Long-Duration Exposure Facility) scientific satellite left in Earth orbit on STS-41C and returned it to Earth for study.

1992

The STS-49 Endeavour mission attached a new rocket motor to the Intelsat 6 communications satellite to allow it to reach geosynchronous orbit.

1993

The STS-61 Endeavour mission was the first of three routine service calls to the Hubble Space Telescope to repair faulty optics. The second and third missions were in 1997 and 1999, respectively.  All missions were successful.  Click here to watch some videos of the third servicing mission.

Click here to view a night launch of the Space Shuttle.

• Why is it important to set goals? Do you think the original goals of the NASA program from 1958 are still applicable today?
• If you were to envision new goals for space travel in the 21^st century what might they include?