CS91306 Space Exploration Collection - Space Shuttle

Launching for the first time in 1981 as part of the Space Shuttle Program, the Space Shuttle is a Low Earth Orbital spacecraft responsible for the manned orbital launch and re-entry into Earth™s atmosphere. Making history as the first reusable spacecraft, the Space Shuttle became the first spacecraft to transport communication satellites to and from orbit. On various missions the Space Shuttle has launched crews between 2-7 members, transporting them within the Orbiter, and boasts two solid rocket boosters.

Operational between 1981-2011, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration™s initiative produced five of the spacecraft, and completed 133 successful missions within the program™s lifecycle.

Exploring the wonders of space, both close to Earth and further, beyond most human™s comprehension, has been the dream of many for centuries. The first true space flights took place in 1959 with the unmanned Sputnik satellite, but then shortly followed in the early 1960s by the manned flights, culminating in Man™s first steps on the Moon in July 1969.

Over the years since many iconic space craft have been launched to take this human dream even further, with us now having the ability to have craft such as the International Space Station always having crew and scientists on-board.