The main difference between space shuttles and other space vehicles is that space shuttles are reusable spacecraft that can carry astronauts and cargo to space and return to Earth like an airplane, while other space vehicles are usually one-time use rockets that are not designed to be reused. Space shuttles also have the ability to perform missions in space and return to Earth multiple times.
To lift the 4.5 million pound shuttle from the pad to orbit (115 to 400 miles) above the Earth, the shuttle uses two solid rocket boosters, three main engines of the orbiter, the external fuel tank and the orbital maneuvering system on the orbiter. The solid rockets provide most of the main force or thrust needed to lift the space shuttle off the launch pad.
Drag from air is the main thing that slows down the space shuttle on reentry.
When a space shuttle launches, the main engines ignite to lift the shuttle off the ground. Once it gains enough altitude, the solid rocket boosters are released. The shuttle then continues its journey into space using its main engines until it reaches orbit.
Challenger - Blew up from a faulty O-Ring on the main Fuel tank/Rocket. Columbia - Burned up on re-entry Atlantis Discovery Endeavour
The main difference between space shuttles and other space vehicles is that space shuttles are reusable spacecraft that can carry astronauts and cargo to space and return to Earth like an airplane, while other space vehicles are usually one-time use rockets that are not designed to be reused. Space shuttles also have the ability to perform missions in space and return to Earth multiple times.
It's Thermal Heat Protection Tiles.
Same: solid rocket boosters and liquid hydrogen/oxygen main engines.
Yes it's called gimbling.
To lift the 4.5 million pound shuttle from the pad to orbit (115 to 400 miles) above the Earth, the shuttle uses two solid rocket boosters, three main engines of the orbiter, the external fuel tank and the orbital maneuvering system on the orbiter. The solid rockets provide most of the main force or thrust needed to lift the space shuttle off the launch pad.
Drag from air is the main thing that slows down the space shuttle on reentry.
When a space shuttle launches, the main engines ignite to lift the shuttle off the ground. Once it gains enough altitude, the solid rocket boosters are released. The shuttle then continues its journey into space using its main engines until it reaches orbit.
Other than the Space Transport System from NASA (which are the everyday "space shuttles"), there aren't that many other ones. The main "other" space shuttle was the Buran Program from the USSR, which had shuttles that looked very much like the American ones. This program was canceled in 1993. Scaled Composites and Virgin have come together to make the SpaceShip series of craft that are reusable, but they can't be used to get to full orbit.
Challenger - Blew up from a faulty O-Ring on the main Fuel tank/Rocket. Columbia - Burned up on re-entry Atlantis Discovery Endeavour
Space shuttles use fuel when taking off and for control while in orbit, deorbiting, and landing. The main takeoff engines use liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, and there are two solid-fuel rocket boosters. In orbit, the shuttle uses thrusters that burn hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide.
Robert W. Fricke has written: 'STS-68 space shuttle mission report' -- subject(s): Spaceborne experiments, Endeavour (Orbiter), Space shuttles, Performance tests, Space transportation sytem flights, Space transportation system, Space laboratories, Space missions, Get away specials (STS), Postflight analysis 'STS-40 space shuttle mission report' -- subject(s): Space shuttles 'STS-63 space shuttle mission report' -- subject(s): Spacecraft docking, Flyby missions, Space transportation system, Space transportation system flights, Spaceborne experiments 'STS-67 space shuttle mission report' -- subject(s): Endeavour (Orbiter), Space shuttle payloads, Postmission analysis (Spacecraft), External tanks, Space shuttle main engine, Space transportation system, Space shuttle missions, Space shuttle boosters 'STS-47 space shuttle mission report' -- subject(s): Space shuttles 'STS-54 space shuttle mission report' -- subject(s): Space shuttles 'STS-61 space shuttle mission report' -- subject(s): Anomalies, Earth orbits, Extravehicular activity, Fault detection, Hubble Space Telescope, Space maintenance, Space missions, Space shuttles, Space transportation system flights, Spaceborne experiments, Spacecraft maintenance, Spacecraftmaintenance 'STS-79 space shuttle mission report' -- subject(s): Earth orbital rendezvous, Mir space station, Spacecraft docking, External tanks, Solid propellant rocket engines, Space shuttle main engine, Space transportation system flights, Space shuttle boosters 'STS-77 space shuttle mission report' -- subject(s): External tanks, Payloads, Endeavour (Orbiter), Space shuttles, Space programs, Booster rocket engines 'STS-52 space shuttle mission report' -- subject(s): Space shuttles 'STS-37 space shuttle mission report' -- subject(s): Space shuttles 'STS-46 space shuttle mission report' -- subject(s): Space shuttles
Space Shuttles have people inside then but Sputnik don't The two have just about nothing in common....they were both launched by rockets - although very different ones. It would be useful to check out the links to the left to see the huge difference.