What is a shuttle? This is a flying design of American manufacturers. The word "shuttle" itself means "shuttle". Designed for repeated launches, the shuttles were originally intended to fly back and forth between Earth and its orbit to deliver cargo.
The article will be devoted to shuttles - spacecraft, as well as all other shuttles that exist today.
History of creation
Before answering the question of what a shuttle is, let's consider the history of its creation. It begins in the late 60s of the 20th century in the USA, when the question of designing a reusable space mechanism was raised. This was due to economic benefits. Intensive use of the space shuttle was supposed to reduce the high costs of space.
The concept provided for the formation of an orbital point on the Moon, and missions in Earth orbit were to be carried out by reusable vessels called the Space Shuttle.
In 1972, documents were signed that determined the appearance of the future shuttle.
The design program has been prepared by North American Rockwell on behalf of NASA since 1971. During the development of the program, technological ideas from the Apollo system were used. Five shuttles were designed, two of which did not survive the crashes. Flights were carried out from 1981 to 2011.
According to NASA plans, 24 launches were to be carried out annually, and each board was to perform up to 100 flights. But during the work, only 135 launches were completed. The Discovery shuttle distinguished itself by the largest number of flights.
System design
Let's look at what a shuttle is from the point of view of its design. It is launched via a pair of rocket boosters and three engines supplied with fuel from an impressively sized external tank.
Maneuvers in orbit are performed using engines of a special system designed for orbital maneuvers. This system includes the following steps:
- Two rocket boosters that operate for two minutes from the moment they are turned on. They give direction to the ship, then detach from it and fly into the ocean using parachutes. After refueling, the boosters are put back into operation.
- Refueling tank with hydrogen and oxygen supply for main engines. The tank is also thrown away, but a little later - after 8.5 minutes. Almost all of it burns in the atmosphere, and its fragments end up in the oceanic space.
- A manned vessel that lands in orbit and houses the crew and assists in scientific research. Having completed the program, the orbital vehicle flies to Earth and lands like a glider on the area allocated for landing.
Externally, the shuttle looks like an airplane, but, in fact, it is a heavy glider. The shuttle has no fuel reserves for its engines. The engines operate while the shuttle is connected to the fuel tank. While in space, as well as during landing, the ship uses not very powerful small engines. It was planned to equip the shuttle with jet engines, but the idea was abandoned due to the high cost.
The lifting force of the ship is low; landing occurs due to kinetic energy. The ship goes from orbit to the cosmodrome. That is, he only has one chance to land. Unfortunately, there is no opportunity to turn around and make a second circle. For this reason, NASA has built several reserve sites for landing aircraft.
Operating principles of accelerators
Side boosters are large, super-powerful solid-propellant devices that produce thrust to lift the shuttle away from the launch area and fly to an altitude of 46 km. Accelerator dimensions:
- 45.5 m long;
- 3.7 m - diameter;
- 580 thousand kg - mass.
It is not possible to stop the boosters after starting, so they are turned on after the other three engines start properly. 75 seconds after launch, the boosters separate from the system, fly by inertia, reach maximum altitude, and then land in the ocean using parachutes at a distance of approximately 226 km from the launch. In this case, the landing speed is 23 m/s. Technical service specialists collect the accelerators and send them to the manufacturing plant, where they are refurbished for reuse. Repair and reconstruction of shuttles are also explained by economic considerations, because creating a new ship is much more expensive.
Functions performed
According to the military’s requirements, the aircraft was supposed to deliver cargo up to 30 tons, and deliver cargo up to 14.5 tons to Earth. For this, the cargo compartment had to have dimensions of 18 meters in length and 4.5 m in diameter.
The space program did not set as its goal “bomber” operations. Neither NASA, nor the Pentagon, nor the US Congress confirm such information. The Dyna-Soar project was developed for bombing purposes. However, over time, intelligence activities were carried out within the framework of the project. Gradually, Dyna-Soar became a research project, and in 1963 it was completely canceled. Many of Dyna-Soar's results carried over into the shuttle project.
The shuttles delivered cargo to altitudes of 200-500 km, they carried out many scientific developments, serviced spacecraft at orbital points, and were engaged in assembly and restoration work. The shuttles carried out flights to repair telescopic equipment.
In the 90s, the shuttles participated in the Mir-Shuttle program, conducted jointly by Russia and the United States. Nine dockings with the Mir station were carried out.
The design of the shuttles was constantly improved. Over the entire period of use of ships, thousands of devices have been developed.
The shuttles helped in the implementation of the formation project. Many modules on the ISS were delivered using the shuttles. Some of these modules are not equipped with engines, and therefore are not capable of autonomous movement and maneuvering. To deliver them to the station, you need a cargo ship or shuttle. The role of the shuttles in this direction cannot be overestimated.
Some interesting data
The average stay of a spacecraft in space is two weeks. The shortest flight was carried out by the Columbia shuttle, it lasted a little longer than two days. The longest voyage of the Columbia ship was 17 days.
The crew consists of two to eight astronauts, including a pilot and commander. The shuttle orbits ranged from 185,643 km.
The Space Shuttle program was canceled in 2011. It existed for 30 years. Over the entire period of its operation, 135 flights were made. The shuttles covered 872 million km and lifted cargo with a total weight of 1.6 thousand tons. 355 astronauts visited orbit. The cost of one flight was approximately $450 million. The total cost of the entire program was $160 billion.
The last launch was the launch of Atlantis. In it, the crew was reduced to four people.
As a result of the project, all shuttles were canceled and sent to a museum storage facility.
Disasters
Space shuttles have suffered only two disasters in their entire history.
In 1986, the Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch. The cause was an accident in a solid fuel accelerator. The entire crew died - seven people. The wreckage of the shuttle burned up in the atmosphere. Following the crash, the program was suspended for 32 months.
In 2003, the space shuttle Columbia burned down. The cause was the destruction of the ship's heat-protective shell. The entire crew died - seven people.
The Soviet leadership closely monitored the process of implementing the program to create and implement the American space shuttles. This project was perceived as a threat from the United States. It has been suggested that:
- shuttles can be used as platforms for nuclear weapons;
- American shuttles can steal Soviet Union satellites from earth orbit.
As a result, the Soviet government decided to build its own space mechanism, with parameters not inferior to the American one.
In addition to the Soviet Union, many countries, following the United States, began to design their own multiple spacecraft. These are Germany, France, Japan, China.
Following the American ship, the Buran shuttle was created in the Soviet Union. It was intended to perform military and peaceful tasks.
At first, the ship was conceived as an exact copy of the American invention. But during the development process some difficulties arose, so Soviet designers had to look for their own solutions. One of the obstacles was the lack of engines similar to the American ones. More precisely, in the USSR, engines had completely different technical parameters.
The Buran flight took place in 1988. This happened under the control of the on-board computer. The landing of the shuttle determined the success of the flight, which many high-ranking officials did not believe in. The fundamental difference between the Buran and the American shuttles was that the Soviet counterpart was able to land on its own. American ships did not have such an opportunity.
Design Features
"Buran" had an impressive size, like its overseas counterparts. The cabin accommodated ten people.
An important design feature was the heat-protective shell, the weight of which was over 7 tons.
The spacious cargo compartment could accommodate large cargo, including space satellites.
The launch of the ship was a two-stage process. First, four missiles and engines were separated from the ship. The second stage is engines with oxygen and hydrogen.
When creating Buran, one of the main requirements was its reusability. Only the fuel tank was disposable. American boosters had the opportunity to splash down in the ocean. Soviet accelerators landed in the steppes near Baikonur, so their secondary use was not possible.
The second feature of the Buran was that the engines were located on the fuel tank and therefore burned out in the air. The designers were faced with the task of making the engines reusable, which could reduce the cost of the space exploration program.
If you look at the shuttle (the photo shows it) and its Soviet counterpart, you get the impression that these ships are identical. But this is only an external similarity with the fundamental internal differences between the two systems.
So, we looked at what a shuttle is. But these days, this word refers not only to ships for extraterrestrial flights. The idea of the shuttle was embodied in many inventions of science and technology.
Car-ship
Honda released a car called the Shuttle. It was originally produced for the USA and given the name Odyssey. This free car was a success in the New World due to its excellent technical parameters.
The Honda Shuttle was released directly for Europe. At first, this was the name given to the Honda Civic station wagon, which resembled a microvan. But in 1991 it was removed from a number of produced modifications. The name "Shuttle" remained unclaimed. And only in 1994, Japanese machine builders released a new minivan with that name. Why the manufacturers decided to settle on such a model name, one can only guess. Perhaps the idea of a fast space shuttle struck the car creators, and they wanted to create a unique fast car.
The Shuttle is a 5-door station wagon with high cross-country ability. The body has rounded corners, most of the surface is glazed. The salon is distinguished by the possibility of transformation. The seats are arranged in three rows, the last one is retracted into a niche. The cabin has air conditioning, comfortable seats with plenty of space.
The car is extremely comfortable while driving thanks to the energy-intensive front and rear suspension. The Shuttle successfully copes with the tasks assigned on the road. However, there were no more deliveries of this model to Europe; its place was taken by the Honda Stream.
Developing in 2011, it begins production of the Fit Shuttle line. The line is based on the Honda Fit hatchback.
The car has a 1.5 liter unit and a 1.3 liter hybrid. Both front- and rear-wheel drive vehicles are produced.
The Honda Fit Shuttle is characterized as an economical, spacious, ergonomic and comfortable car on the road. The car drives great on the streets of big cities. It is suitable for family holidays and for business.
The Honda Fit Shuttle is equipped to meet the highest safety requirements. It contains airbags, ABS, ESP.
"Fit Shuttle" is still very popular among car owners and has the highest ratings.
Together with children
You can take a flight on the star shuttle with your child by turning on the image and purchasing a Lego toy. The first space-themed set was released by the company back in 1973. It was a game in the form of a constructor. Since then, several series of “space” sets have been produced, belonging to different price levels.
The popular set with article number 60078 includes:
- service shuttle;
- space satellite;
- astronaut figures;
- stickers;
- assembly information.
The packaging depicts a spaceship, astronauts, planet Earth and its satellite - the Moon. In Lego, the shuttle is the main element of the set. It is made of white parts with dark inserts and bright red stripes. Its cabin can accommodate two astronaut figures. There are two of them in the set - a man and a woman. In the ship they sit next to each other. To get into the cabin, you need to remove its top part.
The Lego Shuttle set has become the desired embodiment of the dreams of everyone who dreams of ideas of space wars. Its main component is not a fictional ship, but a completely realistic one. The space shuttle receives positive reviews about itself; it strongly resembles authentic American ships that roamed the expanses of space. With this unique set, you can plunge into the world of space travel and flights together with your child. Moreover, you can play not only with boys, but also with girls, because it’s not for nothing that the set includes a female astronaut figure.
Stolen ship
The Lego company also created the Tydirium shuttle, which reminds us of numerous episodes of Star Wars. In total, the company has produced six such ships since 2001. They all differ in size.
The Imperial shuttle was stolen by the rebels, and now it is necessary to return it. Exciting adventures with the heroes of star travel await little players.
The set includes minifigures: Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Rebels - 2 pcs. The shuttle itself is made in white with gray inserts. The cockpit fits two figures and opens through the top of the nose. There is a cargo compartment behind the cab. Manufacturers say the shuttle assembly process could take 2 to 6 hours. With the help of minifigures, you can play out many exciting scenes.
Space games for computer
Bethesda, inspired by the idea of exploring outer space, released the game Prey for consoles and computers with an interesting plot. It is based on a non-existent reality in which American President John Kennedy remained alive after the assassination attempt and began to intensively develop space exploration projects.
Aliens from outer space are attacking planet Earth. They are called typhons. The USA and USSR are joining forces in the fight against enemy forces. But the USSR is collapsing, and only the United States has to eliminate the Typhons. Scientists can control the brains of aliens and also gain their abilities.
One of the missions of the game is to get on the shuttle. For many this is a real problem.
Experienced players have conquered the shuttle in Prey and are giving advice to newcomers. In order to climb onto the ship, you need to go down to one of the lower rooms and find the key card there. The key helps you open the door and find the elevator. You need to go up the elevator, find a terminal there, which is activated, after which a bridge appears. Using the bridge they get on the shuttle.
Bus options
Nowadays, shuttles are called not only spaceships in reality and in games, but also bus transport. As a rule, these are fast buses that deliver passengers from the airport to the hotel, to the metro station, or vice versa. It can also be corporate transport that transports passengers to various events. The shuttle schedule is prepared in advance. As a rule, they run quite frequently, which is extremely convenient.
So, we have analyzed the ambiguous word “shuttle”, considered all the areas in which it is used, and also cited fascinating stories associated with the space shuttles.
From its first launch 30 years ago to its final flight, NASA's spacecraft has seen moments of highs and lows. This program has completed up to 135 flights, delivering more than 350 people and thousands of tons of materials and equipment into low-Earth orbit. Flights were risky, sometimes extremely dangerous. Indeed, over the years, 14 shuttle astronauts have died.
During a visit to watch the Apollo launch, April 16 to April 15, 1972, Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko (left) listens as Kennedy Space Center Director Dr. Kurt H. explains the space shuttle programs 
Mockup of the proposed Shuttle wing space configuration. The photo was taken on March 28, 1975. 
This is a November 6, 1975 photo of a mock-up of the spacecraft attached to a 747 carrier in a wind tunnel. 
Some of the cast of the television series Star Trek attended the first showing of America's first spaceship, in Palmdale, California, on September 17, 1976. From left are Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, Forest Kelly and James Doohan. 
An inside look at the hydrogen tank destined for the space shuttle on February 1, 1977. At 154 meters long and more than 27 feet in diameter, the external tank is the largest component of the spacecraft, the structural backbone of the entire Shuttle system. 
A technician works with sensors installed at the back of a mock-up spacecraft on February 15, 1977. 
At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a mock-up of the spacecraft, dubbed Pathfinder, is attached to a device that is being tested on October 19, 1978. The mockup, built at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, had the overall dimensions, weight and balance of a real space shuttle. 
NASA's Space Shuttle Carrier prototype 747 flies after liftoff from the dry bed of Rogers Lake on the second of five free flights conducted at Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, since January 1, 1977. 
Shuttle Columbia arrives at Launch Complex 39A in preparation for the STS-1 mission at Kennedy Space Center, December 29, 1980. 
Looking at the spacecraft's instruments in NASA's Orbiter 102 Columbia, astronauts John Young (left) and Robert Crippen prepare the spacecraft for tests that will take place during the orbiter's test flight at Kennedy Space Center on October 10, 1980. 
Flight Director Charles R. Lewis (left) examines a graph display on a monitor in the flight operations control area (MOCR) at the Johnson Space Center Mission Control Center, in April 1981. 
Two solid rocket boosters are jettisoned from the space shuttle Columbia as a successful launch. Spaceflight has continued this way since 1975. April 12, 1981 
Shuttle Columbia on the dry bed of Rogers Lake at Edwards AFB after landing completed its first orbital mission on April 14, 1981. 
Shuttle Columbia on top of a NASA Boeing 747 at Edwards Air Force Base, California, November 25, 1981 
Night launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia, during the twenty-fourth mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program, January 12, 1986 
Astronaut Sally Ride, STS-7 specialist, monitors control panels in the pilot's seat on the space shuttle Challenger flight deck on June 25, 1983. 
The Space Shuttle Enterprise is transported over a slope that has been widened to avoid hitting its wings at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, on February 1, 1985. The orbiter is being transported to the space launch complex, carrying six specially designed 76-wheel transporters. 
General view of the spacecraft in the launch position at Space Launch Complex (SLC) No. 6, ready for launch checkout to verify launch procedures at Vandenberg Air Force Base, on February 1, 1985 
Space shuttle Discovery, at Edwards Air Force Base in California, after completing its 26th space mission. 
Christa McAuliffe tries out the commander's seat on the flight deck of a shuttle simulator at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on September 13, 1985. McAuliffe was scheduled to fly into space on the space shuttle Challenger in January 1986, which ended in tragedy 
Ice on the equipment at Launch Pad 39-B, January 27, 1986 at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, causing the ill-fated Challenger launch 
Spectators in the VIP area at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, watch the Space Shuttle Challenger take off from pad 39-B on January 28, 1986, on its final flight, which ended in tragedy. 
The space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff from Kennedy Space Center. The hull containing a crew of seven, including the first teacher in space, was destroyed, killing everyone on board. 
Spectators at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, after witnessing the explosion of the Challenger shuttle on January 28, 1986. 
Space Shuttle Columbia (left), slated for takeoff on STS-35, passes the Atlantis spacecraft on its way to Pad 39A. Atlantis, scheduled for mission STS-38, parked in front of the bay to repair liquid hydrogen lines 
A Florida Air National Guard F-15C Eagle performs a patrol mission for the Space Shuttle Endeavor as it launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida, December 5, 2001. 
The nose of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, seen from the Russian space station Mir on the STS-71 mission, June 29, 1995. 
Cosmonaut Valery Vladimirovich Polyakov, who was at the station on January 8, 1994, comes out to open the spacecraft 
Specialist Bruce McCandless II, flew further from the space shuttle Challenger than any previous astronaut February 12, 1984 photos 
Testing of the Shuttle main engine at the Marshall Space Flight Center test facility, in Huntsville, Alabama, December 22, 1993 
Astronaut Joseph R. Tanner, STS-82 mission specialist, performs a spacewalk to conduct photographic film experiments on February 16, 1997. 
The two components of the International Space Station are connected to each other on December 6, 1998. The Russian FGB, also called Zarya, is approached by the Space Shuttle Endeavor 
During the first Iraq War, in April 1991, black smoke from burning oil wells in the Kuwaiti desert was seen from the space shuttle Atlantis during the STS-37 mission. The Iraqi army set fire to oil wells in Kuwait when it left the country. 
Space Shuttle Endeavor (STS-134) makes its final landing at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on June 1, 2011. 
Plumes of smoke and steam alternate with fiery light during the launch of the space shuttle Endeavor at NASA Kennedy Space Center at 39A in July 2009. 
The external fuel tank of Shuttle ET-118, which departed in September 2006, was photographed by astronauts aboard the shuttle about 21 minutes after takeoff. 
A training model of the Shuttle is parachuted into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida, where it will be recovered by ships, returned to land, and refitted for reuse. 
While astronauts and cosmonauts are often faced with striking scenes, this unique image has the added feature of being framed by the silhouette of the space shuttle Endeavor. 
NASA shuttle Columbia on a Boeing 747 flies from Palmdale, California, to Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on March 1, 2001. 
The high temperatures encountered by the Space Shuttle were simulated in tunnels at Langley in a 1975 test of thermal insulation materials to be used on the shuttles. 
Fire and rescue personnel prepare to evacuate as two "astronauts" prepare to go out in rescue training in Palmdale, California, April 16, 2005. 
The Space Shuttle Challenger moves through fog on its crawler tractors on its way to Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on November 30, 1982. 
The Discovery shuttle launches from Cape Canaveral on October 29. On the beach, children watch him. 
The Hubble Space Telescope begins its separation from the Discovery shuttle on February 19, 1997 
This photo taken from Earth using a solar filter telescope shows NASA's space shuttle Atlantis silhouetted against the Sun Tuesday, May 12, 2009, from Florida 
Silhouette of space shuttle Columbia Commander, Kenneth Cockrall, seen from the aircraft's front windows on December 7, 1996 
Space Shuttle Discovery lands in the Mojave Desert on September 11, 2009 at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base near Mojave, California. 
The Shuttle Endeavor rests on an airplane at the Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, California, shortly before being flown back to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 
Shuttle Discovery streaks brightly through the morning darkness as it lifts off from Launch Pad 39A on a 10-day mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. 
At the end of its mission, the space shuttle Discovery was able to document the beginning of the second day of activity at the Rabaul volcano, on the eastern tip of New Britain. On the morning of September 19, 1994, two volcanic cones on opposite sides of a 6-kilometer crater began to erupt into the sea 
Space Shuttle Atlantis above Earth, close to docking in orbit with the International Space Station in 2007 
After a catastrophic landing failure, debris from the space shuttle Columbia is visible in the sky on the morning of February 1, 2003. The orbiter and all seven crew members were killed. 
The wreckage of Columbia is laid out on a grid to help determine the cause of the disaster. March 13, 2003 
The Space Shuttle Discovery is slowly getting ready due to lightning in the area of Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 4, 2009. 
astronaut Robert L. Curbeam Jr. (left) and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Christer Fuglesang, as STS-116 mission specialists, participate in the first of three planned spacewalks for the construction of the International Space Station on December 12, 2006 . With New Zealand in the background. 
Xenon lights help land Space Shuttle Endeavor. NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 
Shuttle Endeavor docking, with a night view of Earth and a starry sky in the background, photographed by the expedition on the International Space Station on May 28, 2011 
At Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the STS-133 crew takes a break from a simulated launch countdown on the 195-foot level of Launch Pad 39A 
A condensation wave, backlit by the sun, occurred during the launch of Atlantis on STS-106, September 8, 2001. 
The International Space Station and the docked shuttle Endeavor, flying at an altitude of about 220 kilometers. This is May 23, 2011 
From its first launch 30 years ago to its final flight into space on Friday, NASA's shuttle program has experienced both moments of unimaginable inspiration and unbearable disappointment. By the time of this week's scheduled launch, the program will have completed 135 missions, during which 350 people and thousands of tons of materials and equipment have been delivered to low Earth orbit. 14 astronauts gave their lives to this program - the missions were always risky, repairs difficult, and the dangers too high. In this issue, we offer you a look at the history of the shuttle flight program, which is about to end.
(Total 30 photos)
1. Shuttle Columbia takes off from the Kennedy Space Center on April 12, 1981. On board the first flight of the shuttle program were commander John Young and pilot Robert Crippen. (Reuters/NASA/KSC)
2. Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko (left) listens as Kennedy Space Center manager Dr. Kurt Debus talks about the shuttle flight program on April 15, 1972. In the right foreground is a model of one of the proposed rocket and shuttle concepts. (AP Photo)
5. Part of the crew of the television series "Star Trek" at the first presentation of the first space shuttle in Palmdale, California, September 17, 1976. From left to right: Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, DeForest Kelly and James Doohan. (AP Photo)
6. An interior view of a liquid hydrogen tank built for the Space Shuttle's external tank, February 1, 1977. At 46.9 meters long and more than 8 meters in diameter, the external tank is the shuttle's largest component, the structural basis of the entire shuttle system, and the only part of the vehicle that is not reused. (NASA)
A technician works with sensors mounted on the rear of a shuttle model on February 15, 1977. (NASA)
8. This replica of the space shuttle is called "Pathfinder" October 19, 1978. The model, created at NASA's Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, has the general parameters, weight and balance of the real shuttle. (NASA)
9. The prototype Space Shuttle Enterprise flies freely after undocking from the USS 747 during the second of five tests at the Dryden Research Center in Edwards, California, on January 1, 1977. The tail cone of the engine compartment smoothed out the turbulent air flow during flight. It was removed during the last two flights to test landing characteristics. (NASA)
10. Space Shuttle "Columbia" on launch platform 39A before its flight into space on December 19, 1980. (Reuters/NASA/KSC)
Astronauts John Young (left) and Robert Crippen prepare for spacewalk work to begin on an orbital test flight at Kennedy Space Center on October 10, 1980.
Flight Director Charles R. Lewis (left) examines a map on a monitor at the Johnson Space Flight Control Center in April 1981. (NASA)
13. Two solid rocket boosters separated from the space shuttle Columbia during the successful launch of the first operation in space since 1975 in April 1981. Astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen were on board Columbia. (NASA)
14. The Columbia shuttle sits at the bottom of Rogers Dry Lake after landing to complete its first orbital flight on April 14, 1981. Technicians pulled the shuttle back to the Dryden Research Center for post-flight inspection and preparation for the return flight with cargo to the Kennedy Center in Florida. (NASA/JSC)
15. Shuttle Columbia on its carrier plane on November 25, 1981 in California. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon)
17. Astronaut Sally Ride checks the instrument panel on the flight deck on June 25, 1983. A notepad flies in front of her. (Reuters/NASA)
18. The shuttle Enterprise is driven along a road widened specifically for its wings at Vandenberg Airfield in California on February 1, 1985. The shuttle was transported to the launch complex on a 76-wheeled transporter. (Tech. Sgt. Bill Thompson/USAF)
19. General view of the space shuttle Enterprise ready for launch during the last checks on February 1, 1985. (Tech. Sgt. Bill Thompson/USAF)
20. The Space Shuttle Discovery landed at Edward Air Force Base in California after completing its 26th flight into space. (Tech. Sgt. Mike Haggerty/USAF)
21. Christa McAuliffe sits in the command chair on the flight deck of the shuttle simulator at the Johnson Center in Houston, Texas, on September 13, 1985. McAuliffe prepared to fly on the space shuttle Challenger in January 1986. (AP Photo)
22. Icicles on the equipment on launch pad 39A on January 27, 1986 at the Kennedy Space Center before the disastrous flight of the space shuttle Challenger. (AP Photo/NASA)
23. Spectators in the VIP area watch the launch of the Challenger shuttle from platform 39B on January 28, 1986. (AP Photo/Bruce Weaver)
24. The explosion of the space shuttle Challenger 73 seconds after takeoff from the Kennedy Space Center. The shuttle carrying seven crew members, including the first enlisted person, teacher Christa McAuliffe, exploded. No one survived. (NASA)
25. Spectators are horrified after the explosion of the Challenger shuttle. (AP Photo)
26. Shuttle Columbia (left), ready for flight, is transported past Shuttle Atlantis to Launch Pad 39A. Mission-ready STS-38 Atlantis is parked in front of the Vertical Assembly Facility's third room for liquid hydrogen pipe repairs. (NASA)
27. An F-15C Eagle during a patrol flight on December 5, 2001. (Tsgt. Shaun Withers/USAF)
29. Cosmonaut Valery Polyakov looks out of the window of the Mir station during docking with the Discovery shuttle. (NASA)
30. Flight specialist Bruce McCandless second during a spacewalk. Photo taken from the space shuttle Challenger on February 12, 1984. It was the furthest spacewalk ever made by a human being. (Reuters/NASA)
Initially, the space shuttle program was very ambitious. It was planned that each shuttle would be capable of launching into space up to 100 times. But to date, only 134 flights have been made. The final Atlantis expedition will be the 135th. Successes and failures have walked side by side throughout the project's history. The Space Shuttle program was suspended twice - in 1986, after the death of the Challenger, and in 2003, when the Columbia shuttle burned down during landing. Fourteen astronauts died as a result of these disasters. Yet the space shuttles played a vital role in space exploration. The ISS project would not have been possible without the space shuttle, as would the servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope.
In July 2011, the Space Shuttle program comes to an end. In this regard, we offer 40 photos illustrating the history of the US manned space project of the last thirty years.
Historical photo - the first launch of the space shuttle program. Columbia launched into space on April 12, 1981. The STS-1 crew consisted of two people: commander John Young and pilot Robert Crippen. Photo: Reuters/NASA/KSC
The first shuttle built, Enterprise, was first shown in Palmdale, California, on September 17, 1975. Pictured are actors from the Star Trek series. From left to right: Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, DeForest Kelly and James Doohan. The shuttle Enterprise never flew into space. Photo: AP Photo
The Space Shuttle program dates back to the 60s, before the Americans landed on the Moon. Poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko (left) arrived at Cape Canaveral as part of the Soviet delegation on April 15, 1972 for the Apollo 16 lunar launch. In this photo, the then director of the space center. Kennedy Kurt H. Debus explains the concept of the space shuttle program to Yevtushenko. At the same time, the poet looks thoughtfully at the model of the space shuttle. Photo: AP Photo
Model of the shuttle mounted on a Boeing 747, inside the wind tunnel. Photo taken November 6, 1975. Photo: NASA
Pathfinder, a life-size model of the shuttle, at the Space Center. Kennedy, October 19, 1978. Photo: NASA
February 1, 1977. The largest element of the Space Shuttle system is the external liquid fuel tank. It is 46 meters long and about 8 meters in diameter. Photo: NASA
February 15, 1977, wind tunnel. A technician installs sensors on a shuttle model. Photo: NASA
The shuttle Enterprise free-floats during its second test flight on January 1, 1977. A total of 5 Enterprise flights were carried out, in which the landing of space shuttles was practiced. The last two flights were carried out without the tail cone, which was removed to ensure the most accurate testing of the shuttle's landing characteristics. Photo: NASA
The Space Shuttle program begins. On December 29, 1980, Columbia prepares for its first flight into space. Photo: Reuters/NASA/KSC
Astronauts John Young (left) and Robert Crippen (right) made up the STS-1 crew. The Columbia shuttle launched on April 12, 1981, exactly 20 years after the flight of Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin. The photo shows astronauts during training at the Space Center. Kennedy October 10, 1980. Photo: Reuters/NASA/KSC
Flight director Charles R. Lewis (left) in the control room of the Mission Control Center. April 1981. Photo: NASA
The separation of spent solid rocket boosters has just occurred, and the Columbia shuttle continues to ascend into orbit. On board are astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen. With the flight of STS-1, US human spaceflight resumed. This happened 6 years after the completion of the Apollo program (1975). Photo: NASA
On April 14, 1981, two days after launch, the space shuttle Columbia successfully landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Photo: NASA/JSC
Shuttle Columbia aboard a Boeing 747 takes off from Edwards Air Force Base. November 25, 1981. Photo: AP Photo/Lennox McLendon
Shuttle Challenger in Earth orbit. Astronaut Sally Ride, mission specialist for STS-7, monitors control monitors from the pilot's seat. June 25, 1983. Photo: Reuters/NASA
Vandenberg AFB, California. The Enterprise shuttle is transported along a specially widened road. February 1, 1985. Photo: Bill Thompson/USAF
Shuttle Enterprise on the launch platform. Vandenberg AFB, February 1, 1985. Despite the pre-launch picture, the entire Enterprise was never launched into space. But its parts were used for other shuttles. Photo: Bill Thompson/USAF
The shuttle Discovery lands at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The 26th space mission has been completed. Photo: Mike Haggerty/USAF
Christa McAuliffe in the command chair in the simulator at the Space Center. Johnson, Houston, September 13, 1985. The former teacher won a national competition for the right to fly into space, which was organized by US President Ronald Reagan. Becoming the first non-professional astronaut, Christa McAuliffe joined the Challenger crew. The shuttle was scheduled to carry her and six other crew members into orbit in January 1986. Photo: AP Photo
Ice icicles on the equipment at Cape Canaveral Launch Pad 39-B on January 27, 1986, on the eve of Challenger's ill-fated launch. Photo: AP Photo/NASA
Observers in the VIP box watch the Challenger lift off on January 28, 1986. Photo: AP Photo/Bruce Weaver
As a result of the Challenger disaster, the space shuttle program was interrupted for 2.5 years. The explosion occurred 73 seconds after the shuttle launched. All seven crew members were killed. Photo: NASA
The space shuttle Challenger has just exploded. Public reaction. Cape Canaveral, Florida, January 28, 1986. Photo: AP Photo
Shuttles Columbia (left) and Atlantis (right). Photo: NASA
The launch of the shuttle Endeavor from an F-15C aircraft of the US Air National Guard. December 5, 2001. Photo: Shaun Withers/USAF
Fisheye photographed the Earth and the space shuttle Atlantis from the Mir station on June 29, 1995. Photo: NASA/JSC
Cosmonaut Valery Polyakov looks out the window of the Mir station at the docking of the Discovery shuttle with it. January 8, 1994. Photo: NASA
Testing of a modified shuttle main engine at the Center. Marshall. December 22, 1993. Photo: NASA/MSFC
Testing shuttle skin materials for heat resistance at Langley. 1975 Photo: NASA
Still from NASA video. Shuttle Columbia during landing on December 7, 1996. On the left is the silhouette of STS-80 crew commander Kenneth Cockrall against the backdrop of glowing orange plasma behind the shuttle's windows. Photo: NASA/Getty Images
On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated in the sky over Texas at an altitude of 65 km and at a speed of about 5 km/s. All seven crew members were killed. Photo: AP Photo/Jason Hutchinson
March 13, 2003. The Columbia shuttle, or rather, what was left of it, is on the hangar floor. The number of debris found will continue to grow. Photo: Reuters/NASA
Shuttle Discovery launches on a 10-day mission to service the Hubble telescope. Photo: NASA
Endeavor at dawn. Ames-Dryden Center, California. Photo: NASA/Les Teal
The Discovery shuttle flies to the delight of children. Astronaut John Glenn flew into space as part of the STS-95 mission for the first time in 36 years. Photo: Reuters
Evacuation of a crew from the cabin of a burning shuttle is being practiced on a mock-up in Palmsdale, California. April 16, 2005. Photo: NASA/Tony Landis
Space Shuttle program
Space shuttle. It was assumed that it would scurry from Earth to orbit and back like a loom shuttle. The shuttle program began in 1971. In 1975, a prototype (not flown into space) Enterprise was built, then 5 more were built - Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavor. The first shuttle Columbia launched on April 12, 1981, the last - Atlantis - on July 8, 2011. Two shuttles died - Challenger (January 28, 1986, at launch) and Columbia (February 1, 2003, during landing). In total, only 135 launches were carried out over the life of the program, although 32 launches per year and 100 launches per shuttle were initially planned.
A small and lyrical digression.
My wife and I are very interested in space, and my wife is probably even more interested in space than me. Once, while browsing one of the websites on space topics, we saw this model for sale. It was the presence of the launch pad that captivated me. I decided to turn to modeling again (for the fourth time). The first time it happened was 35 years ago. I glued together all the Ogonyok tanks that were on sale. The next approach was 5 years later - planes from Frog. Then I even painted one in camouflage with a borrowed airbrush. Then I had to fight for a place in the sun and there was no time for modeling. About 10 years later I started collecting models with my child, but he grew up, somehow he wasn’t interested in modeling and I had to cancel this event (they took away my workplace). And then came the fourth attempt... I bought paints, chemicals, an airbrush with a compressor, and, of course, cats of varying complexity (because I was scared to assemble this model). Although, now, the model does not seem very complicated to me, there are just a lot of details.
Purchase
While I was preparing and training (in fact, I made a big mistake in choosing the first models and almost gave up this activity), the model disappeared on that space website - apparently they bought it, despite the price of 15,900 rubles. I started looking. As if it was available on one single model site (in Russia). Ordered. A letter came that they would look for her. I asked if they would find it - they answered that everything would be fine, just wait until there was delivery. Having studied the situation, I realized that if Revell releases it again, it won’t be at all quickly - there was no model on the Revell website, especially since Revell positioned it as a Limited Edition. I had to look further and found it only on ebay somewhere in Germany in a small model store. Ordered and paid on February 5th. On February 22, from the post office (in fact, I’m very afraid to contact my post office - I once ordered from the States - so they managed to send two parcels back, despite the fact that I went every other day and asked) I received an SMS about the arrival of the parcel, and in non-working hours for mail. On February 24, in the morning I rushed to receive it. Everything cost - $169.98 model + $24.99 shipping. In rubles - the bank wrote off 15,302 rubles.
Model
The box with the model in the photo was also packed in a branded Revell box made of thick cardboard and covered with another box on top. The contents were not damaged, although the outer box was damaged in several places. Next I will only talk about the box with the picture.
Box size - 752x514x120 mm. As a scale, I took a photo with a small 35 scale “Stars” box (they pack little soldiers and other little things in there). The box is divided into three parts, as are the instructions - launcher, shuttle and booster. The box contains 21 launch pad sprues, 4 shuttle sprues, 4 launch vehicle sprues (all white), and 1 clear sprue with stand and shuttle glazing. Also in the box there was an advertisement for additional equipment for a model from LVM Studios, but at their price I am developing amphibiotrophic asphyxia (last photo).
There are also sink marks and flash. There are many marks from the pushers, but it is not yet clear whether they will be visible. I haven't checked the connectivity yet. Moreover, the quality varies depending on the “part” of the model. The most terrible thing is the shuttle itself, then the launch vehicle, and, the best, the launch complex.
In general, the model evokes rather contradictory feelings - it is some kind of “toy”. No, the details seem to be clear, but apparently some little things are missing, large and flat spaces “without nothing” look very strange.
Decals allow you to assemble Discovery before 1998 and in 2011, Endeavor 1998 / after 1998, as well as Anlantis and Enterprise.
Most likely, I will collect Atlantis, as the last of the shuttles.