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Space Shuttle

Space Shuttle familyNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationRetiredReusable

The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program name was Space Transportation System (STS). Five complete Space Shuttle orbiter vehicles were built and flown on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011.

Space Shuttle vehicle

Specifications

Thrust
28,200 kN
Height
56.1 m
Diameter
8 m
Launch mass
2,030 t
Stages
2
Launch cost
$450M
LEO capacity
27,500 kg
GTO capacity
4,940 kg
GEO capacity
2,270 kg

Specifications from Launch Library. Figures the operator has not published are omitted.

Flight record

135flightswith a definitive outcome
98.5%success rate133 of 135
22success streakcurrent

Counted from padside's own launch record, the same basis as the stats page.

Flights

5 of 135

All 135 flights