NASA

According to estimates from organizations like NASA and the European Space Agency, the global expenditure on space travel can range from $50 billion to over $100 billion per year. This includes costs associated with spacecraft development, launches, operations, and research.

The space shuttle's structure is primarily made of aluminum alloy and titanium. The thermal protection system, which shields the shuttle from the intense heat of re-entry, is composed of materials such as reinforced carbon-carbon and silica tiles. Additionally, the shuttle's windows are made of multiple layers of materials including polycarbonate and glass.

The International Space Station (ISS) has a mass of approximately 420,000 kilograms, which is equivalent to about 925,000 pounds. Its weight is constantly changing due to supplies being brought onboard and experiments being conducted.

NASA has used space shuttles to perform many important tasks. These include taking satellites into orbit, repairing damaged satellites, and carrying astronauts and equipment to and from space stations.

NASA stands for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and was founded in 1958 as a response to the Soviet Union's launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik. It was established by the United States government to oversee civilian space exploration and research. The name "NASA" itself was created as a combination of "National," denoting its governmental nature, and "Aeronautics" and "Space," reflecting the agency's focus on aviation and space exploration.

While NASA is a reputable organization with a long history of successful missions and discoveries, it is not infallible and can make mistakes like any other human endeavor. Scientific research and exploration involve a degree of uncertainty, and new information or data can sometimes lead to revisions or updates on previous findings. NASA's commitment to transparency and peer review ensures the accuracy and reliability of its work.

No. 1 - No one is rich enough to use actual diamonds all over the space shuttle. It'll leave diamonds costlier than a liver transplant.

No. 2 - They DO have carbon carbon tiles all over, which emulates the diamond structure in a number of ways, except for one-burning.

So, more than the cost, it's the burning part which prevents us from making jewelery space shuttles. If you didn't know, diamond will also burn, just like coal or graphite. Finally, its just carbon! It's like whether a guy is Chinese or Australian, he finally uses eyes to see, not ears. These tiles are lab-made, hybrid, modified, diamond-like structured things, kind of fireproof.

No. 3 - Space shuttles aren't delicate babies. Else they wouldn't be able to handle temperatures >4000 degrees C, friction and g-forces over such long periods. While re-entry, the procedure's delicate, not the shuttle. You have to enter in a very small angular range. Less than that, you'll bounce off like a flat stone on water, more than that and you'll fall down with more than required acceleration and less friction. Here you can't say they're delicate -- because it'll be impossible to stop the shuttle in time, then -- simple physics can show that easily.

What happened in Columbia which I think made you to ask this question, was that during liftoff itself, a foam tile (NOT the carbon) from one of the rocket boosters fell off. Now, nobody cared since they are disengaged in 8 minutes only, so no big deal. But what they failed to notice is the place where it fell-the shuttle wing's edge. It made a small crack, since a space shuttle tile can obviously not be designed for falling foam tiles from great heights! During re-entry, when temperatures soared, heat entered through the fissure, burnt the electric controls and the rest is history. Basically it was just ill fate-nobody could dream the silly foam tile could do such a thing.

As of 2008, the man with the longest time in space is Sergei K. Krikalev, who has spent 803 days, 9 hours and 39 minutes, or 2.2 years, in space.

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STS, short for Space Transportation System.

Another name for a space station is an orbital station or an orbital outpost.

Alan Shepherd was selected as one of the Mercury 7 astronauts in 1959, his first mission into space was in 1961, his last mission was Apollo 14 in 1971, and he retired from NASA in 1974.

Time between his first and last mission was 10 years.

Time between recruitment and retirement was 15 years.

In the first few minutes of launch, big hunks of frost fall off. Later, when the rocket is near the top of the atmosphere, the large first stage of the rocket motor detaches by its explosive mounting bolts blowing themselves to bits. Later, the intermediate stage detaches in a similar manner.

A space shuttle feels like a smooth ride during liftoff with a sense of acceleration and increased G-forces. Once in space, the shuttle feels weightless and the sensation is often described as floating. Reentry can feel turbulent and intense as the shuttle reenters the Earth's atmosphere.

The safety of the astronauts on board is a critical factor that NASA engineers must consider when preparing to send a Shuttle into space. They must ensure that all systems are functioning properly and that all potential risks have been minimized to ensure a safe mission. Additionally, the performance of the spacecraft and its ability to meet mission objectives are also important considerations.

Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. He was a NASA astronaut and test pilot, and his achievement of stepping onto the lunar surface was a crucial milestone in space exploration. Armstrong's contributions to NASA also included piloting the Gemini 8 mission in 1966, which was the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit.

NASA explores space, conducts space research, and develops technology for space exploration. They have various locations throughout the US where different aspects of space exploration are conducted, such as the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launches and the Johnson Space Center in Texas for astronaut training.

To study how the universe works, and to possibly travel to another planet should something happen to Earth.

Also, to search for life in space, and to develop new tools and processes to use on Earth.

NASA is also generally seeking knowledge about Man's place in the universe.

Apollo 1, unfortunately, experienced a tragic accident during a pre-launch test on January 27, 1967. As a result, the mission was canceled, and the crew members, Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, lost their lives. This event led to significant safety improvements in the Apollo program to prevent future accidents.

No, Gus Grissom was not supposed to be the first man on the moon. Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Gus Grissom was a NASA astronaut and part of the Apollo program, but he tragically died in a spacecraft fire during a pre-launch test for the Apollo 1 mission in 1967.

The Apollo 1 mission in 1967 was a disaster where three astronauts - Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee - died in a fire during a pre-launch test. This tragic event led to significant safety improvements in NASA's manned spaceflight programs.

A Space Station monitors the Space Shuttle being launched into space and so forth.

And a Space Shuttle, is like a rocket they send into space.

So the difference is a space shuttle is a rocket, and a space station is a building.

Apollo disliked Orion because Orion boasted that he could kill every animal on Earth, which challenged Apollo's love for all living creatures in nature. Additionally, Orion also claimed that he was a better hunter than Artemis, who was Apollo's twin sister, leading to further rivalry and resentment between Apollo and Orion.

The number of yearly openings for astronauts can vary depending on the needs of space agencies like NASA and ESA. Typically, there are only a handful of astronaut selection rounds each decade, with a limited number of positions available. It's not an annual recruitment process.

The space shuttle program operated from 1981 to 2011. It involved a fleet of reusable spacecraft designed to carry astronauts and cargo to space. The shuttles were used for various missions, including deploying satellites, conducting scientific research, and servicing the International Space Station.