The Space Shuttle

The Space Shuttle was a special kind of spaceship. It took off like a rocket but landed like an airplane. NASA used it for 30 years to take people and cargo into space. There were five shuttles that flew to space. They helped build the International Space Station.

How It Flew

The Space Shuttle had three main parts. There was the orbiter, a big fuel tank, and two rocket boosters. The boosters and tank helped it reach space. Then they fell away. The orbiter stayed in space and did its job before gliding home.

The Space Shuttle Atlantis flies above Earth's swirling white clouds.
The Space Shuttle Atlantis flies above Earth's swirling white clouds. (STS115_Atlantis_undock_ISS.jpg: NASA derivative work: The High Fin Sperm Whale / Wikimedia Commons)

Famous Missions

The shuttles did many important jobs. They launched the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit. They also helped build the space station piece by piece. Sadly, two shuttles were lost in accidents. The program ended in 2011 after 135 missions.

Fun Facts

  • The shuttle could carry up to seven astronauts.
  • Each shuttle had thousands of heat tiles to protect it.
  • Shuttles traveled about 17,500 miles per hour in orbit.

Did You Know?

The retired shuttles are now on display in museums where you can visit them.