Whither the Space Shuttle

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Whither the Space Shuttle
Roger D. Launius National Air and Space
Museum Smithsonian Institution
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What Do You do for an Encore after you have been
to the Moon?
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Early Space Shuttle Concepts
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A Creature of Compromise

• Approved January 5, 1972, 5.15B price tag.
• First flight April 12-14, 1981.
• Space Shuttle to provide routine, inexpensive,
  reliable, access to space.
• Next step in realizing vision of multi-planetary
  human presence.
• Viewed as one-size-fits-all space access
  vehicle.
• Was to position U.S. as central space access
  entity in world.

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Building the Shuttle

• Intended to fly by 1978.
• Two critical technological challenges
• Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME)
• Thermal Protection System (TPS)

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Space Shuttle Operations

• 1981First flight of Columbia.
• 1982Pres. Reagan declares Space Shuttle
  operational.
• 1986Challenger accident at launch of 25th
  flight.
• 1988Return to flight of shuttle.
• 1995First docking at Russian Mir space station.
• 1998STS-95, John Glenn flight.
• 1998First orbital assembly of ISS.
• 2003Columbia accident on reentry. Total of 113
  missions, 111 successful.
• 2005Return to flight, STS-115.
• 2011135 missions flown.

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Preparing for Launch
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Go for Launch
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Living and Working in Orbit
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The EVA Experience
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Shuttle/Mir Program, 1995-98
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Tragedies Challenger 1986 and Columbia 2003
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Building the International Space Station
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Assessing the Shuttles Legacy
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