What is space shuttle in simple words?

space shuttle, also called Space Transportation System, partially reusable rocket-launched vehicle designed to go into orbit around Earth, to transport people and cargo to and from orbiting spacecraft, and to glide to a runway landing on its return to Earth’s surface that was developed by the U.S. National Aeronautics …

What replaced NASA shuttle program?

Orion is NASA’s new spacecraft, built to take humans farther into space than they’ve ever gone before. It will carry the crew to space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew and provide a safe return to Earth.

What is the difference between space shuttle and rocket?

A rocket is a non-reusable launch vehicle. Once a rocket is launched, it will be irrecoverably lost in the process of taking the payload into the desired orbit. This means that a rocket is a one-way vehicle. In contrast, a space shuttle is reusable.

What is the difference between spacecraft and space shuttle?

Space shuttle is a lifting body needing additional rocket engines for thrust. It is a low Earth ORBITAL spacecraft. The engines are the main difference. However it basically is a spacecraft and not designed for prolonged operation in the atmosphere.

Could the shuttle go to the moon?

“The space shuttle is designed to travel in low-Earth orbit (within a few hundred miles of the Earth’s surface). It does not carry enough propellant to leave Earth’s orbit and travel to the moon,” the space agency stated. “We all pointed out that the shuttle could never actually get to the moon.

How much does a space shuttle cost?

Q. How much does the Space Shuttle cost? A. The Space Shuttle Endeavour, the orbiter built to replace the Space Shuttle Challenger, cost approximately $1.7 billion.

Who was the first human to travel into space?

cosmonaut Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin
On April 12, 1961, aboard the spacecraft Vostok 1, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin becomes the first human being to travel into space.

How fast does a Space Shuttle go in space?

about 17,500 miles per hour
How much fuel does it use? A. Like any other object in low-Earth orbit, a Space Shuttle must reach speeds of about 17,500 miles per hour (28,000 kilometers per hour) to remain in orbit.

What are the disadvantages of space shuttles?

The complicated system added greatly to risk and cost. Lack of modernization – or lets call it.. “Ageing”. Elon Musk stated that the very reusability of Shuttle prevented from evolving at the same rate as other rockets. There were very few real design changes.

What has NASA achieved from the Space Shuttle program?

The Space Shuttle program was the fourth human spaceflight program carried out by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which accomplished routine transportation for Earth-to-orbit crew and cargo from 1981 to 2011.

What will NASA do with the retired Space Shuttles?

With the shuttles’ retirement, NASA turns over the job of transporting astronauts to the International Space Station, a $100 billion project of 16 nations, to Russia, once the United States’ arch rival in the Cold War space race. U.S. dependence on Russian space transportation will end only if commercial companies develop passenger spaceships.

How many space shuttles were commissioned by NASA?

NASA commissioned six space shuttles under its Space Shuttle Program fleet: the Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour. Four of the six space shuttles can be viewed in museums throughout the country. First flight: Aug. 12, 1977.

What are the roles of Space Shuttles in the space program?

OVERVIEW The Space Shuttle program (SSP) plays a vital role in enabling NASA’s vision and mission. This includes advancing human exploration and providing safe access to space in support of human operations in low Earth orbit. The Shuttle’s primary role is to complete the assembly of the International Space Station (ISS).