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Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttles are reusable spacecraft with wings for controlled descent into the atmosphere. They are designed to transport astronauts between earth and an orbiting space station and to deploy and retrieve satellites. Atlantis, Discovery, and Endeavour are the three Space Shuttles in operation today.
3,420 Questions
What does the International Space Station do?
The objective of the ISS, as defined by NASA, is to develop and test technologies for exploration spacecraft systems, develop techniques to maintain crew health and performance on missions beyond low Earth orbit, and gain operational experience that can be applied to exploration missions.
What year was the space shuttle invented?
It wasn't invented overnight. It took many years to come up with a design that worked. Research began even before we landed on the moon in 1969. The shuttle program was formally launched in 1972 and Columbia (designated OV-102), was delivered to Kennedy Space Center in 1979 with the first launch in 1981
How long does it take to get to the International Space Station?
The shuttle does not immediately go to the ISS, but 'parks' in earth orbit for a time during which the shuttle is checked for damage and equipment is also tested and organized. They gradually catch up with the ISS in a complex process of orbital mechanics. The docking occurs approximately two days after launch.
What was the name of the first shuttle to be launched?
The first shuttle flight was Enterprise on February 18, 1977 aboard the carrier aircraft.
The first operational launch was Columbia on April 21st 1981.
See related link for a full detail of the Shuttles launch history
What year did the space shuttle Atlantis blow up?
The space shuttle Atlantis did not blow up. It successfully completed its final mission, STS-135, in July 2011 and is now retired. The space shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986, and the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated during re-entry in 2003.
There is no certain answer for this question, but it is believed that Atlantis is lost under the sea, and that no one has discovered it; Atlantis is believed to be a legend. Some new theories say that Atlantis' gate is lost in the Bermuda triangle, still under water.
What was the name of the first space shuttle that exploded?
Challenger was the first shuttle to be destroyed on January 28, 1986 during launch. Orbiter vehicle Space Shuttle Challenger was the second orbiter to join NASA's Space Shuttle fleet, with official designation, Orbiter Vehicle 099 (OV-099). Challenger was named after the British Naval research vessel HMS Challenger that sailed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans during the 1870's, forever changing the course of scientific history and laying the foundation of the science of oceanography.
How fast is the international space station traveling?
The International Space Station travels at a speed of approximately 28,000 kilometers per hour (17,500 miles per hour) in orbit around the Earth.
Who invented the first space shuttle?
The first space shuttle, known as the Space Shuttle Enterprise, was not designed for spaceflight. It was built by NASA and introduced in 1976 for atmospheric test flights to validate the shuttle's design and capabilities. The first space-flown shuttle was the Columbia, which was launched in 1981.
What is the purpose of a space shuttle?
The purpose of a space shuttle is to transport astronauts and cargo into space, enable crewed missions to space stations, satellites, and other space destinations, conduct scientific research in space, and assist in the maintenance and repair of satellites in orbit.
What is the space shuttle made of?
- The nose cone made of reinforced carbon-carbon
- The the chassis is made of an alloy of titanium, aluminium and vanadium
- The windows are main from reinforced polycarbonate.
- The rest is made of fibreglass and carbon fibre
- The tiles are made of silica ceramic tiles, which can withstand temperatures as high as 3000°F (1650°C) while maintaining the vehicle's structure at no more than 350°F (177°C).
- New space shuttles like Discovery use composite absorption tiles instead.
- Polystyrene is used for insulation
What does NASA use the space shuttle for?
The space shuttle is NASA's space transportation system, designed to carry astronauts and cargo to and from Earth orbit. The first space shuttle flight took place in 1981. The space shuttle fleet is scheduled to be retired in 2011. When the shuttle program ends, the space shuttle will have been launched on more than 130 missions. :):):):):)
Why are Space Shuttles launched from Florida?
Relatively clear weather. If there's a problem in reentry they can ditch in the ocean.
== == == == There are several good reasons for having the launch site where it is.
- It's fairly close to the equator, at least relative to the rest of the United States. Being close to the equator gives the launch vehicle a bit of a boost because of the rotation of the earth. - It's on the east coast, so an eastward launch does its dangerous stuff over the ocean, where it's less likely to cause a big lawsuit.
- The infrastructure, which was built for Apollo, was already there.
It doesn't snow, tis true, but the salt air, hurricanes, and frequent afternoon thunderstorms aren't a particularly great environment to work in. There are places with better weather, but those other advantages are hard to beat.
Where do the parts that detach from the space shuttle go?
The two white Solid Rocket Boosters land in the sea aided by drogue chutes, and are recovered by ships for return to their manufacturer to be prepared for re-use.
The large External Fuel Tank burns up as it re-enters the atmosphere.
US Navy pilot and astronaut Alan Shepard (1923-1998) became the first US man in space when he flew a suborbital rocket flight in his Freedom 7 spacecraft on May 5, 1961. He flew approximately 303 miles in the 15-minute flight, reaching a maximum altitude of 116.5 miles.
When was the first manned space launch?
Yuri Gagarin, a cosmonaut of the USSR (Soviet Union, now Russia) completed the first manned orbit of the Earth on April 12, 1961. He was the "first man in space".
What factors did the engineers consider when designing the ceramic tiles for space shuttles?
i know two heat and price im actually doing the same ? for extra credit in science
What protects a spacecraft against overheating upon re-entry?
On the space shuttle, there are a number of protective devices, but the most obvious are the insulating tiles. These are made of various materials, but mostly from a silica based insulation with ceramic coating.
See the Web Link to the left for more information, but note that it predates the loss of Columbia from damage to tiles at a vital position on the orbiter.
In earlier space programs, the spacecraft were protected by a shield which actually partially burnt away as re-entry progressed, thus taking away the heat from the craft.
When was the first space shuttle flight?
The first flight into space for a shuttle was on April 12, 1981 as mission STS - 1, with John Young and Robert Crippen on-board Columbia.
The space shuttle Enterprise, which was never intended for flight into space, first flew on 12 August 1977 at the start of a number of non-space test flights.
Who was the first Hispanic in space?
The first Hispanic astronaut in space was Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz. He flew on seven Space Shuttle missions between 1986 and 2002.
Who was the first person to be in the International Space Station?
The first person to live aboard the International Space Station was American astronaut William Shepherd. He and his crewmates, Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev, arrived at the ISS on November 2, 2000.
How fast can a space shuttle travel?
A space shuttle can travel at speeds of up to 17,500 miles per hour (28,160 kilometers per hour) in orbit around the Earth.
How much money does a space shuttle engineer make?
about 170,000 or more it depends what there facts are.
Where did the challenger explode?
The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff on January 28, 1986, due to a faulty O-ring seal in one of its solid rocket boosters. The tragedy occurred off the coast of Florida, over the Atlantic Ocean.
What kind of force is needed to launch rocket ships?
Rocket ships are launched by a combination of forces, including the thrust generated by the rocket engines and the force needed to overcome gravity. The thrust from the rocket engines propels the rocket forward, while the force needed to overcome gravity allows the rocket to lift off the ground and enter into space.
