Five orbiters, 135 missions, 355 people carried to orbit over 30 years — the most complex flying machine ever built. From STS-1 to the final landing of Atlantis.
Last updated: · · Sources: NASA History Office
The Space Transportation System (STS), commonly known as the Space Shuttle, was the world's first reusable orbital spacecraft system. It operated from 12 April 1981 (STS-1) to 21 July 2011 (STS-135), completing 135 missions from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The Shuttle system consisted of three main components: the orbiter vehicle (a delta-winged spacecraft the size of a DC-9 airliner), two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs), and an external fuel tank. The orbiter carried crew and payload, launched vertically like a rocket, and returned to Earth as a glider, landing on a conventional runway.
Five operational orbiters were built: Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour. Two were lost in accidents: Challenger during launch in January 1986 (killing all 7 crew) and Columbia during re-entry in February 2003 (killing all 7 crew). These tragedies profoundly shaped NASA's safety culture and ultimately influenced the decision to retire the Shuttle in 2011.
The Shuttle's greatest achievements include deploying and servicing the Hubble Space Telescope (five servicing missions between 1993 and 2009), constructing the International Space Station (37 assembly flights), and carrying more people to orbit than any other vehicle in history. Its cargo bay could carry 27,500 kg to low Earth orbit and return 14,400 kg to Earth.
| Orbiter | First Flight | Last Flight | Missions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise (OV-101) | — | — | 0 (test only) | Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, NYC |
| Columbia (OV-102) | Apr 1981 | Jan 2003 | 28 | Lost during STS-107 re-entry, 1 Feb 2003 |
| Challenger (OV-099) | Apr 1983 | Jan 1986 | 10 | Lost during STS-51-L launch, 28 Jan 1986 |
| Discovery (OV-103) | Aug 1984 | Mar 2011 | 39 | Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum |
| Atlantis (OV-104) | Oct 1985 | Jul 2011 | 33 | Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex |
| Endeavour (OV-105) | May 1992 | Jun 2011 | 25 | California Science Center, Los Angeles |
Total missions: 135 flights over 30 years (1981–2011). Discovery flew the most missions (39), followed by Atlantis (33), Columbia (28), Endeavour (25), and Challenger (10).
People carried: 355 individuals flew on the Shuttle, with many flying multiple missions. The Shuttle carried astronauts from 16 different countries.
Time in space: The Shuttle fleet accumulated 1,323 days in orbit — over 3.6 years of cumulative flight time. The longest single mission was STS-80 at 17 days 15 hours.
Payload capacity: 27,500 kg to low Earth orbit (LEO) with a 18.3 m × 4.6 m payload bay — large enough to carry major ISS modules, satellites, and the Hubble Space Telescope.
ISS construction: 37 Shuttle missions contributed to ISS assembly, delivering modules, trusses, solar arrays, and supplies. The station could not have been built without the Shuttle's unique heavy-lift and return capabilities.