For our summer studies, the big one and I are going over the history of space exploration…
Challenger (OV-099) started life as the Structural Test Article (STA-099)
U. S. Space Shuttle Program – 1972 – 2011
- Program officially launched in 1972
- Planning discussions since 1969
- 1st reusable spacecraft
- Originally planned to have 50 flights per year
- Planned to be a cheaper method of reaching low Earth orbit, this did not pan out for NASA.
- Crew: 7 astronauts
- Total Missions:
- 135 flights
- 1981-2011
- 2 lost spacecraft
- Five Shuttles were built to maintain a fleet of four operational vehicles
- Program ended in 2011
Enterprise - OV-101 - 1977
· Flights: 5 solo atmospheric test flights
· Years in service: 1
· Days in space: 0
· First solo flight: August 12, 1977
· Location of decommissioned spacecraft: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, New York City, New York.
· Prototype vehicle not designed for space flight
- Launched from Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
- Constructed without engines or a heat shield
- Used for glide-approach and landing tests
- Later used for spare parts for operational shuttles
· Originally named Constitution, but the named was changed after a petition movement by Star Trek fans.
Columbia – OV-102 – 1982-2003
· Flights: 28
· Years in service: 21
· Days in space: 300
· First Flight: April 12, 1982 (20th Anniversary of First Manned Spaceflight)
· Final Landing: Breaks up on Re-entry, February 1, 2003
· Prototype design that was heavier than later shuttles
Challenger – OV-099 – 1983-1986
· Flights: 10
· Years in service: 3
· Days in space: 62
· First Flight: April 4, 1983
· Final Landing: Explodes on Launch, January 28, 1986
· Built as Structural Test Article (STA-099) and later converted to be a fully operational vehicle
Discovery – OV-103 – 1984-2011
· Flights: 39
· Years in service: 27
· Days in space: 365 (One Full Year)
· First Flight: August 3, 1984
· Final Landing: March 9, 2011
· Location of decommissioned spacecraft: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, in Virginia.
· “Discovery flew all three "return to flight" missions after the Challenger and Columbia disasters.” (Wikipedia)
Atlantis – OV-104 – 1985-2011
· Flights: 33
· Years in service: 26
· Days in space: 306
· First Flight: October 3, 1985
· Final Landing: July 21, 2011
· Location of decommissioned spacecraft: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Florida.
· Last shuttle in space: July 8 – 21, 2011
Endeavour – OV-105 – 1992-2011
· Flights: 25
· Years in service: 19
· Days in space: 296
· First Flight: May 7, 1992
· Final Landing: July 21, 2011
· Location of decommissioned spacecraft: California Science Center in Los Angeles, California
- · Built as replacement for Challenger
- “NASA chose to build Endeavour from spares rather than refitting Enterprise or accepting a Rockwell International proposal to build two shuttles for the price of one of the original shuttles, on cost grounds.” (Wikipedia)
| U.S. Space Shuttle Flights - By Year | ||
| Year | Flights | Milestones |
| 1981 | 2 | Columbia - 1st Flight - April 12, 1982 (20th Anniversary of First Manned Spaceflight) |
| 1982 | 3 | |
| 1983 | 4 | Challenger - 1st Flight - April 4, 1983 (1st U.S. Spacewalk in 9 years) |
| 1984 | 5 | Discovery - 1st Flight - August 3, 1984 |
| 1985 | 9 | Atlantis - 1st Flight - October 3, 1985 |
| 1986 | 2 | Challenger explodes on Launch: January 28, 1986 |
| 1987 | 0 | |
| 1988 | 2 | |
| 1989 | 5 | |
| 1990 | 6 | |
| 1991 | 6 | |
| 1992 | 8 | Endeavour - 1st Flight - May 7, 1992 |
| 1993 | 7 | |
| 1994 | 7 | |
| 1995 | 7 | |
| 1996 | 7 | |
| 1997 | 8 | |
| 1998 | 5 | |
| 1999 | 3 | |
| 2000 | 5 | |
| 2001 | 6 | |
| 2002 | 5 | |
| 2003 | 1 | Columbia breaks up on Re-entry: February 1, 2003 |
| 2004 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 4 | |
| 2006 | 3 | |
| 2007 | 3 | |
| 2008 | 4 | |
| 2009 | 5 | |
| 2010 | 3 | |
| 2011 | 3 | Discovery - Final Landing - March 9, 2011; Endeavour - Final Landing - June 1, 2011; Atlantis - Final Shuttle Landing - July 21, 2011 |
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