Space Shuttle

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NASA's Space Shuttle, officially named the Space Transportation System (STS), is the spacecraft currently used by the United States government for its human spaceflight missions and is scheduled to be retired from service in 2010. At launch, it consists of a rust-colored external tank (ET), two white, slender Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs), and the orbiter, which is a winged spaceplane in the narrowest sense.

The orbiter carries astronauts and payload such as satellites or space station parts into low earth orbit, into the Earth's upper atmosphere or thermosphere. Usually, five to seven crew members ride in the orbiter. The payload capacity is 22,700 kilograms (50,000 lb). When the orbiter's mission is complete it fires its Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) thrusters to drop out of orbit and re-enters the lower atmosphere. During the descent, the shuttle orbiter decelerates from hypersonic speed primarily by aerobraking and then for the landing phase it acts as a glider, making a completely unpowered (deadstick) landing.

For more information about Space Shuttle, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

News tagged with space shuttle

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Astronauts get extra moving time at space station

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 20, 2009 | 4 / 5 (1) | 0

(AP) -- The astronauts aboard the shuttle-station complex are getting some extra moving time.

Astronauts get extra work done in 1st spacewalk (AP)

Astronauts get extra work done in 1st spacewalk (Update)

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 19, 2009 | not rated yet | 1

(AP) -- A pair of spacewalking astronauts, one of them a surgeon, hustled through antenna and cable work outside the International Space Station on Thursday and even whipped off an extra chore.

Shuttle nears space station, docking scheduled (AP)

Shuttle docks at space station, unloads parts (Update 2)

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 18, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0

(AP) -- Space shuttle Atlantis arrived at the International Space Station on Wednesday for a weeklong stay, and the astronauts quickly unloaded a huge platform full of spare parts needed to keep the outpost ...

In-orbit inspection scheduled for space shuttle (AP)

Astronauts inspect space shuttle in case of damage

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 17, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 1

(AP) -- Space shuttle Atlantis' astronauts scoured their ship Tuesday for any signs of launch damage while pursuing the International Space Station.

Space shuttle Atlantis lifts off on supply mission

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 16, 2009 | 3.5 / 5 (2) | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Space shuttle Atlantis and its six-member crew began an 11-day delivery flight to the International Space Station on Monday with a 2:28 p.m. EST launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in ...

Astronauts board space shuttle Atlantis for launch

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 16, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

(AP) -- Astronauts climbed aboard space shuttle Atlantis on Monday for an afternoon liftoff to the space station, as the sky over the launching site gradually cleared.

NASA fuels space shuttle Atlantis for liftoff

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 16, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

(AP) -- NASA is fueling space shuttle Atlantis for its afternoon liftoff.

Geeky 'tweeters' to report on space shuttle launch

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 15, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

(AP) -- Fingers will be flying when space shuttle Atlantis blasts off Monday: About 100 of NASA's geekiest fans will be on hand, pecking away at iPhones, BlackBerrys, laptops and other Twittering gadgets.

NASA on track for Monday space shuttle launch

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 14, 2009 | 4 / 5 (2) | 0

(AP) -- NASA has cleared space shuttle Atlantis for liftoff Monday on a trip to stock up the International Space Station with several years' worth of spare parts.

Students Send Microbe Experiment on Space Shuttle Atlantis

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 13, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- An experiment by college students that will study how microbes grow in microgravity is heading to orbit aboard space shuttle Atlantis.

Atlantis Launch Countdown Begins Today

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Nov 13, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- At today's launch countdown status briefing held at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, managers reported space shuttle Atlantis, its payload and crew are ready for launch at 2:28 p.m. ...

Nanotech in Space: Rensselaer Experiment To Weather the Trials of Orbit

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

Nov 12, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Novel nanomaterials developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are scheduled to blast off into orbit on November 16 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis.

Atlantis 'Go' For Launch to Station on Nov. 16

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Oct 29, 2009 | 5 / 5 (2) | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's space shuttle Atlantis is targeted to begin an 11-day flight to the International Space Station with a Nov. 16 launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff is scheduled ...

Russia hopes nuclear ship will fly humans to Mars

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Oct 29, 2009 | 4.6 / 5 (33) | 36

(AP) -- Russia should build a new nuclear-powered spaceship for prospective manned missions to Mars and other planets, the nation's space chief said Thursday.