A space shuttle is a reusable spacecraft that was used to carry people and cargo into space. It was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
The space shuttle was made up of three parts: the orbiter, the external tank, and the solid rocket boosters. The orbiter was the part of the shuttle that carried the astronauts and cargo into space. The external tank held the fuel for the orbiter's engines. The solid rocket boosters provided the initial thrust to get the shuttle into orbit.
The space shuttle was retired in 2011. It was replaced by the SpaceX Dragon and the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft.
The space shuttle Atlantis was launched into orbit on July 26, 1985.
Noun: A reusable spacecraft designed to transport people and cargo between Earth and space.
Verb: To travel in a space shuttle.
The etymology of the word "space shuttle" can be traced back to the words "space" and "shuttle". The word "space" refers to the area beyond the Earth's atmosphere, while the word "shuttle" refers to a vehicle that moves back and forth between two places.
The word "space shuttle" first appeared in the early 1970s, when NASA was developing the Space Shuttle program. The program was designed to create a reusable spacecraft that could be used to transport people and cargo into space.
What is a space shuttle?