Its simple....FUEL
The orbiter, the airplane looking part, and the solid rocket boosters are reused. However, the SRBs (solid rocket boosters) have to be completely dismantled and almost totally rebuilt.
The 2 solid fuel rockets are jettisoned prior to departing the atmosphere and parachute down. These are recovered from the sea and refurbrished for re-use. The large (orange) External Fuel Tank is not recovered. It stays with the Shuttle until it enters into space. So when it is jettisoned it burns up on re-entry.
The arm.
the arm
The external tank
The Space Shuttle's large rust colored external tank cannot be reused. It burns up upon reentry into the atmosphere.
The orbiter, the airplane looking part, and the solid rocket boosters are reused. However, the SRBs (solid rocket boosters) have to be completely dismantled and almost totally rebuilt.
Much of the shuttle was reused for each flight. A complete inspection was done of the outer cover of the shuttle body itself. The main tank for fuel (the large rust colored tank) was a throw away, but the two solid fuel engines on either side were also reused, once they were repacked and inspected.
The orbiter, the airplane looking part, and the solid rocket boosters are reused. However, the SRBs (solid rocket boosters) have to be completely dismantled and almost totally rebuilt.
A part on the Space shuttle
Yes and no. The SRBs (solid rocket boosters) and EFT (external fuel tank) are jettisoned on takeoff. The orbiter (the part that lands) is reused, though several components are replaced periodically, such as the heat shield tiles, thruster assemblies, and computer components.
The 2 solid fuel rockets are jettisoned prior to departing the atmosphere and parachute down. These are recovered from the sea and refurbrished for re-use. The large (orange) External Fuel Tank is not recovered. It stays with the Shuttle until it enters into space. So when it is jettisoned it burns up on re-entry.
The space shuttle.
the arm
The arm.
The orbiter.
If we were to ask NASA what is the most difficult part of getting a shuttle into space, I believe the answer would be, getting the appropriation through Congress.