Page 56 - Life beyond the Karman

The Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was the world’s first reusable spacecraft, and the first spacecraft in history that carried large satellites both to and from orbit. The shuttle launched like a rocket, manoeuvred in Earth orbit like a spacecraft and landed like an airplane.
The space shuttle was also known as the Space Transportation System (STS) as it carried people into space. It flew around and orbited Earth.
The space shuttle carried up to seven astronauts at a time. It took satellites to space so they could orbit Earth and carried large parts into space to build the ISS.
Parts of the Space Shuttle
The space shuttle was made of three main parts:
1. The orbiter;
2. The external tank; and
3. The solid rocket boosters.
The orbiter
The orbiter is the part of the shuttle that looks like an airplane. It flew around Earth. The astronauts lived in this part.
The external tank is a large orange fuel tank.
The solid rocket boosters look like two thin rockets. They give the rocket the lift from Earth’s gravity.
NASA had five orbiters, namely, Atlantis, Challenger, Columbia, Discovery and Endeavour. The first space shuttle to fly was Columbia, in 1981. It was followed by Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour. The shuttles carried out various missions and achieved many milestones, from scientific research to satellite deployment. This includes deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope, building the ISS and conducting experiments in microgravity.
However, the space shuttle also faced tragic disasters that claimed the lives of 14 astronauts. In 1986, Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff due to a faulty rocket booster. In 2003, Columbia disintegrated during re-entry due to a damaged heat shield. These disasters were thoroughly investigated and various improvements were recommended concerning the shuttle’s safety.
In 2011, the space shuttle fleet was retired, with Atlantis as the last orbiter. Currently, astronauts to the ISS fly on Russian Soyuz rockets or commercial spacecraft, like the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsules.
The shuttles that were retired are displayed in museums and landmarks that demonstrate the orbiters and their artifacts.
They remain symbols of human achievement and courage that inspire generations of dreamers, explorers, and innovators, who will continue to pursue the mysteries of the universe.
Space Shuttle Launch and landing
The space shuttle was launched like a rocket. The solid rocket boosters and the main engines on the orbiter helped the shuttle blast off. The two boosters dropped off the shuttle after launch and normally fell into the ocean.
A special boat picked the boosters out of the ocean so that they could be used again. The external tank dropped off the orbiter after it used all the fuel in the tank.
When the shuttle orbiter returned to Earth, it came down from the sky like an airplane with wheels coming out from underneath, and rolling to a stop on a runway.
It took about an hour for the shuttle to travel from Earth’s orbit to its landing site. The Shuttle landed like an airplane; therefore a special runway, which is twice as long and wide as the average airport runway was used.
Shuttle simulator
The Space Shuttle Simulator is like a giant version of an aircraft simulator that teaches astronaut pilots how to fly the shuttle orbiter. They practice landing on different runways inside this replica flight deck. They also practice docking and undocking with the ISS, manoeuvres to launch satellites, and various orbiter escape drills.
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LIFE BEYOND THE KÁRMÁN LINE - OUTER SPACE