What is a space shuttle used for?

What is a space shuttle used for?

The space shuttle was NASA's space transportation system. It carried astronauts and cargo to and from Earth orbit.

Were bodies of Challenger crew recovered?

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said today that it had recovered remains of each of the seven Challenger astronauts and had finished its operations to retrieve the wreckage of the space shuttle's crew compartment from the ocean floor.

Were the bodies of Columbia astronauts recovered?

The remains of all seven astronauts who were killed in the space shuttle Columbia tragedy have been recovered, US officials said last night. ... The shuttle was travelling at 18 times the speed of sound, 39 miles above Texas, when disaster struck.

What are the 7 space shuttles?

A. Their names, in the order they were built, are Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour. The Enterprise was flown only within Earth's atmosphere, during Shuttle approach and landing tests conducted in 1977.

Can space shuttle fly moon?

Can the Space Shuttle fly to the Moon? A. No, the Shuttle is designed to travel to low-Earth orbit (within a few hundred miles of the Earth's surface). It does not carry enough propellant to leave Earth orbit and travel to the Moon.

Why did NASA abandon the space shuttle?

While reentering Earth's atmosphere, Columbia broke apart, killing the entire crew. All of these factors — high costs, slow turnaround, few customers, and a vehicle (and agency) that had major safety problems — combined to make the Bush administration realize it was time for the Space Shuttle Program to retire.

Did the families of the Challenger crew sue NASA?

Only the Jarvis and McAuliffe relatives had a right to sue the government; all the astronauts' families could sue Morton Thiokol. ... McNair, a NASA employee, the father of Jarvis and the mother of mission specialist Judith A. Resnik to file separate suits against Morton Thiokol only.

Where is Christa McAuliffe buried?

Calvary Cemetery, Concord Christa McAuliffe/Luogo di sepoltura

Did Columbia crew know what was happening?

While no one knew for sure what caused Columbia's accident, there were engineers at the Johnson Space Center who were pretty sure they knew what happened, who had tried to alert senior management, and who were ignored.

What Space Shuttles are still in service?

• The remaining three space shuttles, Discovery, Endeavour, and Atlantis, are now museum pieces, as is the test orbiter Enterprise. Having seen some of these vessels in person, I can attest that they...

What does Space Shuttle do to help astronauts?

• An Astronaut's Work 05.27.04 Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) astronauts perform many tasks as they orbit the Earth. The Space Shuttle is a versatile vehicle that provides facilities to perform science experiments, release and capture huge satellites and even assemble the ISS.

What are some facts about the Space Shuttle?

• 8 Surprising Space Shuttle Facts Top speed. While in orbit, the space shuttle travels around Earth at a speed of about 17,500 miles (28,000 kilometers) per hour. Well traveled. The combined mileage of all five orbiters is 513.7 million miles (826.7 million km), or 1.3 times the distance between Earth and Jupiter. Presidential attention. ... Space science. ... Taking the heat. ...

What is the difference between a rocket and a Space Shuttle?

• 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.