The NASA space shuttle is 1970s technology for putting people into space. The shuttle system is made up of four components (orbiter, two boosters, and fuel tank) of which only the orbiter is completely reusable. The boosters are semi-reusable and the fuel tank is destroyed while in use. It costs $500 million dollars per flight to run the space shuttle. May be replaced in the future by various RLV designs.

The Space Shuttle (Space Transportation System) Metanode - er, MetaWriteup
Note: Kesper North already had quite a nice node at Space Transportation System; this node really is meant to serve as a metanode for other links. Check out his node first; it's part of the Spacecraft Information Database Project.

Unfortunately, we have almost reached The End of the Space Shuttle Program.

The United States' Space Transportation System, more commonly known as the Space Shuttle, is NASA's sole remaining manned spaceflight platform. Designed in the 1960s and 1970s as a service vehicle for then-planned space stations, it is really essentially a big flying truck. Unfortunately for NASA and the rest of us, the planned stations didn't get built until 1999 or so, about fifteen years later than envisioned. Until then, the Shuttle was pressed into service as a science platform, something it wasn't really built to do. Due to its large cargo space, however, science modules such as the Spacelab facility have allowed it to perform much useful work.

This writeup is intended to serve as a starting point for those looking for information on the Shuttle. I strongly recommend that if you're serious, you see the following websites:

  • http://spaceflight.nasa.gov
  • http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle

...as they contain reams of excellent information. If you wish to remain within Everything2 for the moment, check the links and information below.

Orbiters

The orbiter is the heart of the Space Transportation System. It is the only part of it to actually remain in space, and carries the crew within. Built by Rockwell International, there have been six orbiters (five flying). The first non-spacerated prototype was, due to an active mailing campaign by Star Trek fans, named MPTA-098 Enterprise; it was used for Approach and Landing (glide) tests. Structural Test Assembly 99 (STA99) was rebuilt into Orbiter OV-99 Challenger, which was destroyed in an explosion during ascent on Mission STS-51L on January 28, 1986. For more information about this creative number shuffling, see Certified Geek's writeups on the orbiters themselves. Thanks to CG for correcting my numbering! The current (5/2011) shuttle fleet consists of one retired and two active orbiters:

  • OV-103 Discovery (retired, undergoing decomissioning)
  • OV-104 Atlantis (scheduled for final flight as STS-135 in mid-2011)
  • OV-105 Endeavour (delivered as a replacement for OV-099 Challenger using pre-purchased long-lead time components and new budgetary allocations, on the pad for its final flight as STS-134 sometime in May 2011)
The following orbiters have been lost:

The Enterprise remains as an exhibit in the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles International Airport.

Shuttle Stats from NASA (http://spaceflight.nasa.gov)

  • Length: Shuttle - 56.14 meters / Orbiter - 37.23 meters
  • Height: Orbiter on Runway - 17.27 meters
  • Weight: At liftoff - 2,041,166 kilograms / At landing - 104,326 kilograms
  • Max. Payload to orbit: 28,803 kilograms
  • Orbital Altitude: 185 to 643 kilometers apogee

Shuttle Mission Phases and Timelines

The mission cycle of the Shuttle is quite complex. I will add nodes to this list as I complete them; for now, we have the following parts of the Shuttle's mission cycle available:

Although we hope they're never needed:
Space Shuttle Intact Abort Modes

...and we really hope we never need the flight termination system, which is SHUTTLE-speak for range safety package, which is NASA-speak for self-destruct.

Shuttle Components and Installations

Space Shuttle Acronyms, Terminology and Definitions

Atari 2600 Game
Produced by:Activision
Model Number:AZ033
Rarity:2 Common
Year of Release: 1982

This game was launched early in the hype over the NASA Space Shuttle. It is a simple simulator. You launch, dock with a satellite, and then land. The game is a little too complicated for the simple controls on the Atari 2600.

This game is a a good addition to any Atari collection, (because of the crossover value).

You could get a patch from Activision if you got a high enough score in this game there were 2 different patches for this game, (depending on score). The first patch was awarded at 4,500 points and the second patch at 7,500 points.

From the instruction manual:
It is the 101st Shuttle mission of the Space Transportation System. You are
at the helm of the Space Shuttle Discovery. Approximately 210 nautical
miles above the Earth is your target: an orbiting satellite with
intentionally programmed gyroscope problems.

Your mission is to launch, rendezvous, and dock with the satellite as many
times as you can, using the minimum of fuel, then return safely to Earth.
A word of caution: Each time you successfully dock, the satellite has been
programmed to become even more erratic.
Steve Kitchen is the programmer on this title.

This game is valued at around $3 USD. Games with boxes and manuals are worth more.

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