From the day it first launched 30 years ago to its last flight into space, scheduled for Friday, NASA's shuttle flight program has seen both moments of unimaginable inspiration and unbearable disappointment. By the time of its scheduled launch this week, the program will have completed 135 missions, during which 350 people and thousands of tons of materials and equipment have been delivered to low Earth orbit. 14 astronauts have given their lives to this program - missions have always been risky, repairs difficult, and the danger too high. In this issue, we invite you to take a look at the history of the shuttle flight program, which is about to end.
(Total 30 photos)
1. The space shuttle Columbia takes off from the Kennedy Space Center on April 12, 1981. On board the first flight of the shuttle flight program were Commander John Young and pilot Robert Crippen. (Reuters/NASA/KSC)
2. Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko (left) listens as Kennedy Space Center Manager Dr. Kurt Debus talks about the shuttle flight program on April 15, 1972. On the right in the foreground is a model of one of the proposed rocket and shuttle concepts. (AP Photo)
5. Part of the crew of the television series "Star Trek" at the first presentation of the first space shuttle in Palmdale, California, September 17, 1976. Left to right: Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, DeForest Kelly and James Doohan. (AP Photo)
6. Inside view of the tank with liquid hydrogen, created for the outer tank of the Space Shuttle, February 1, 1977. With a length of 46.9 meters and more than 8 meters in diameter external tank- the largest part of the shuttle, structural basis of the entire shuttle system and the only part of the apparatus that is not reused. (NASA)
7. A technician works with sensors installed in the back of a shuttle model on February 15, 1977. (NASA)
8. This copy of the space shuttle is called "Pathfinder" on October 19, 1978. The model, created at NASA's Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, shares the dimensions, weight, and balance of a real shuttle. (NASA)
9. The prototype shuttle "Enterprise" in free flight after undocking from aircraft carrier 747 during the second of five tests at the Dryden Research Center in Edwards, California, January 1, 1977. The tail cone of the engine bay smoothed out turbulent airflow during flight. It was removed during the last two flights to test landing characteristics. (NASA)
10. Space shuttle "Columbia" on the launch platform 39A before the flight into space on December 19, 1980. (Reuters/NASA/KSC)
11. Astronauts John Young (left) and Robert Crippen are preparing to work in open space, to be launched during a test flight into orbit, at the Kennedy Space Center on October 10, 1980.
12. Flight Director Charles R. Lewis (left) examines a map on a monitor at Space Flight Control Center at Johnson Center in April 1981. (NASA)
13. Two solid-fuel boosters detached from the space shuttle Columbia during the successful launch of the first operation in space since 1975 in April 1981. On board the Columbia were astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen. (NASA)
14. Shuttle "Columbia" at the bottom of the dry Rogers Lake after landing to complete the first orbital flight on April 14, 1981. Technicians pulled the shuttle back to the Dryden Research Center for post-flight inspection and preparation for a return flight with cargo to the Kennedy Center in Florida. (NASA/JSC)
15. Shuttle "Columbia" on a carrier aircraft on November 25, 1981 in California. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon)
17. Astronaut Sally Ride checks the instrument panel on the flight deck on June 25, 1983. A notebook flies in front of her. (Reuters/NASA)
18. Shuttle "Enterprise" is being driven along the road, widened specifically for its wings, at Vandenberg Airfield in California on February 1, 1985. The shuttle was transported to the launch complex on a 76-wheeled transporter. (Tech. Sgt. Bill Thompson/USAF)
19. General view of the Enterprise space shuttle ready for launch during the last checks on February 1, 1985. (Tech. Sgt. Bill Thompson/USAF)
20. The Space Shuttle Discovery has landed at Edward Base in California after completing its 26th spaceflight. (Tech. Sgt. Mike Haggerty/USAF)
21. Christa McAuliffe in the command chair on the flight deck of the shuttle simulator at the Johnson Center in Houston, Texas, September 13, 1985. McAuliffe prepared to fly on the Challenger shuttle in January 1986. (AP Photo)
22. Icicles on the equipment on the launch pad 39A on January 27, 1986 at the Kennedy Space Center before the most deplorably ended flight of the Challenger shuttle. (AP Photo/NASA)
23. Spectators in the VIP area watch the launch of the Challenger shuttle from platform 39B on January 28, 1986. (AP Photo/Bruce Weaver)
24. The explosion of the shuttle "Challenger" 73 seconds after takeoff from the Kennedy Space Center. The shuttle with seven crew members, including the first ordinary person - teacher Christa McAuliffe, exploded. No one survived. (NASA)
25. Spectators are horrified after the explosion of the Challenger shuttle. (AP Photo)
26. Ready to fly shuttle "Columbia" (left) is transported past the shuttle "Atlantis" to the launch pad 39A. Mission-ready STS-38 "Atlantis" is parked in front of the third hall of the vertical assembly building for the repair of liquid hydrogen pipes. (NASA)
27. An F-15C Eagle during a patrol flight on December 5, 2001. (Tsgt. Shaun Withers/USAF)
29. Cosmonaut Valery Polyakov looks out of the window of the Mir station during docking with the Discovery shuttle. (NASA)
30. Mission Specialist Bruce McCandless second during a spacewalk. Photo taken from the Challenger shuttle on February 12, 1984. It was the farthest spacewalk from the station ever made by a man. (Reuters/NASA)
In just a few days, on July 8, 2011, the shuttle Atlantis will go into space. With this, the space shuttle program will end, and this will mark the end of an entire era in manned astronautics.
Initially, the space shuttle program was very ambitious. It was planned that each shuttle would be capable of launching into space up to 100 times. But to date, only 134 flights have been made. The final expedition of Atlantis will be the 135th. Successes and failures have gone hand in hand throughout the history of the project. The Space Shuttle program was suspended twice - in 1986, after the death of the Challenger, and in 2003, when the Columbia shuttle burned down during landing. As a result of these disasters, fourteen astronauts died. And yet, space shuttles have played a crucial role in the exploration of outer space. The project to create the ISS would not have been possible without the space shuttles, as well as the maintenance of the Hubble Space Telescope.
In July 2011, the Space Shuttle program comes to an end. In this regard, we offer 40 photos illustrating the history of the manned space project USA for the last thirty years.
Historical photography - the first launch of the Space Shuttle program. Columbia launched into space on April 12, 1981. The STS-1 crew consisted of two people: commander John Young (John Young) and pilot Robert Crippen (Robert Crippen). Photo: Reuters/NASA/KSC
The first shuttle built, the Enterprise, was shown for the first time in Palmdale, California on September 17, 1975. In the photo - the actors from the series Star Trek. Left to right: Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, DeForest Kelly and James Doohan. The shuttle Enterprise has never been launched into space. Photo: AP Photo
The space shuttle program dates back to the 1960s, before the Americans landed on the moon. Poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko (left) arrived at Cape Canaveral as part of the Soviet delegation on April 15, 1972 to launch Apollo 16 to the Moon. In this photo, the then director of the Space Center. Kennedy Kurt H. Debus explains to Yevtushenko the concept of the space shuttle program. At the same time, the poet looks thoughtfully at the model of the space shuttle. Photo: AP Photo
A model of a shuttle mounted on a Boeing 747 inside a wind tunnel. Photo taken November 6, 1975. Photo: NASA
"Pathfinder" (Pathfinder), life-size model of the shuttle, at the Space Center. Kennedy, October 19, 1978. Photo: NASA
February 1, 1977 The largest element of the Space Shuttle system is the external liquid fuel tank. It is 46 meters long and about 8 meters in diameter. Photo: NASA
February 15, 1977, wind tunnel. A technician installs sensors on a shuttle model. Photo: NASA
The Enterprise shuttle in free hover during its second test flight on January 1, 1977. In total, 5 flights of the Enterprise were made, in which the landing of space shuttles was practiced. The last two flights were made without the tail cone, which was removed for the most accurate test of the shuttle's landing characteristics. Photo: NASA
The space shuttle program begins. December 29, 1980 "Columbia" is preparing for the first flight into space. Photo: Reuters/NASA/KSC
Astronauts John Young (left) and Robert Crippen (right) made up the STS-1 crew. The Columbia shuttle launched on April 12, 1981, exactly 20 years after the flight of Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin. The picture shows the astronauts during training at the Space Center. Kennedy October 10, 1980. Photo: Reuters/NASA/KSC
Flight Director Charles R. Lewis (left) in the MCC control room. April 1981 Photo: NASA
The separation of spent solid-fuel boosters has just occurred, and the Columbia shuttle continues its ascent into orbit. On board are astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen. With the flight of STS-1, US manned space flights resumed. It happened 6 years after the completion of the Apollo program (1975). Photo: NASA
On April 14, 1981, two days after launch, the Columbia shuttle successfully landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Photo: NASA/JSC
The shuttle Columbia aboard a Boeing 747 takes off from Edwards Air Force Base. November 25, 1981 Photo: AP Photo/Lennox McLendon
Shuttle Challenger in Earth orbit. Astronaut Sally Ride, STS-7 mission specialist, monitors control monitors from the pilot's seat. June 25, 1983. Photo: Reuters/NASA
Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The Enterprise shuttle is transported along a specially widened road. February 1, 1985. Photo: Bill Thompson/USAF
Shuttle "Enterprise" on the launch platform. Vandenberg Air Force Base, February 1, 1985. Despite the pre-launch picture, the entire Enterprise never rose into space. But its parts were used for other shuttles. Photo: Bill Thompson/USAF
Shuttle Discovery lands at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The 26th space mission has been completed. Photo: Mike Haggerty/USAF
Christa McAuliffe in the command chair on the simulator at the Space Center. Johnson, Houston, September 13, 1985. The former teacher won the national competition for the right to fly into space, which was organized by US President Ronald Reagan. Becoming the first non-professional astronaut, Christa McAuliffe joined the Challenger crew. The shuttle was supposed to take her and six other crew members into orbit in January 1986. Photo: AP Photo
Ice icicles on the equipment of launch pad 39-B at Cape Canaveral on January 27, 1986, on the eve of the ill-fated launch of the Challenger. Photo: AP Photo/NASA
Observers in the VIP box watch the launch of the Challenger on January 28, 1986. Photo: AP Photo/Bruce Weaver
As a result of the Challenger disaster, the Space Shuttle program was interrupted for 2.5 years. The explosion occurred 73 seconds after the launch of the shuttle. All seven crew members were killed. Photo: NASA
The shuttle Challenger just exploded. Public reaction. Cape Canaveral, Florida, January 28, 1986. Photo: AP Photo
Space shuttles Columbia (left) and Atlantis (right). Photo: NASA
Shuttle Endeavor takes off from an F-15C of the US National Guard. December 5, 2001. Photo: Shaun Withers/USAF
Fisheye photographed the Earth and the space shuttle Atlantis from the Mir station on June 29, 1995. Photo: NASA/JSC
Cosmonaut Valery Polyakov looks out of the window of the Mir station at the docking of the Discovery shuttle. January 8, 1994 Photo: NASA
Tests of the modified main engine of the shuttle at the center. Marshall. December 22, 1993. Photo: NASA/MSFC
On February 1, 2003, the shuttle Columbia crashed in the sky over Texas at an altitude of 65 km and at a speed of about 5 km/s. All seven crew members were killed. Photo: AP Photo/Jason Hutchinson
March 13, 2003. Shuttle "Columbia", or rather, what was left of it, on the floor of the hangar. The number of fragments found will continue to grow. Photo: Reuters/NASA
Space Shuttle Discovery is launching a 10-day maintenance mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. Photo: NASA
May 3rd, 2016
One of the main elements of the exposition national museum Smithsonian Air and Space (Udvar Hazey Center) is the Space Shuttle Discovery. Actually, this hangar was built in the first place to receive the NASA spacecraft after the completion of the Space Shuttle program. During the period of active use of the shuttles, the Enterprise training ship, used for atmospheric tests and as a weight-and-dimensional model, was displayed at the center of Udvar Hazey, before the creation of the first, truly space shuttle Columbia.
Space Shuttle Discovery. For 27 years of service, this shuttle has been in space 39 times.
Ships built under the program "Space transport system»
ship diagram
Unfortunately, most of the agency's ambitious plans never materialized. The landing on the moon solved all the political tasks of the United States in space at that time, and flights into deep space were of no practical interest. And the interest of the public began to fade. Who now immediately remembers the name of the third man on the moon? At the time of the last flight of the Apollo spacecraft under the Soyuz-Apollo program in 1975, the funding of the American space agency was radically reduced by the decision of President Richard Nixon.
The US had more pressing concerns and interests on Earth. As a result, further manned flights by the Americans were generally called into question. Lack of funding and increased solar Activity led to the fact that NASA lost the Skylab station, a project that was far ahead of its time and had advantages even over today's ISS. The agency simply did not have ships and carriers to raise its orbit in time, and the station burned up in the atmosphere.
Space Shuttle Discovery - bow
Visibility from the cockpit is quite limited. The nose nozzles of the attitude control engines are also visible.
All that NASA was able to do at that time was to present the space shuttle program as economically viable. The Space Shuttle was supposed to take over both the provision of manned flights, the launch of satellites, as well as their repair and maintenance. NASA promised to take over all spacecraft launches, including military and commercial ones, which, through the use of a reusable spacecraft, could bring the project to self-sufficiency, subject to several dozen launches a year.
Space Shuttle Discovery - wing and power panel
In the back of the shuttle, near the engines, a power panel is visible, through which the ship was connected to the launch pad, at the time of launch, the panel was separated from the shuttle.
Looking ahead, I’ll say that the project never reached self-sufficiency, but on paper everything looked quite smooth (maybe it was intended), so money was allocated for the construction and maintenance of ships. Unfortunately, NASA did not have the opportunity to build a new station, all the heavy Saturn rockets were spent in lunar program(the latter launched Skylab), and there were no funds for the construction of new ones. Without a space station, the Space Shuttle had a rather limited time in orbit (no more than 2 weeks).
In addition, the reusable ship's dV reserves were much smaller than those of the disposable Soviet Unions or the American Apollos. As a result, the Space Shuttle had the ability to enter only low orbits (up to 643 km), in many ways it was this fact that predetermined that today, 42 years later, the last manned flight into deep space was and remains the Apollo 17 mission.
The fastenings of the doors of the cargo compartment are clearly visible. They are quite small and relatively fragile, since the cargo compartment was opened only in zero gravity.
Space Shuttle Endeavor with an open cargo hold. Immediately behind the cockpit, the docking port for operation as part of the ISS is visible.
Space shuttles were able to lift into orbit a crew of up to 8 people and, depending on the inclination of the orbit, from 12 to 24.4 tons of cargo. And, importantly, to lower cargo weighing up to 14.4 tons and more from orbit, provided that they fit into the cargo compartment of the ship. Soviet and Russian spacecraft still do not have such capabilities. When NASA released data on the payload capacity of the Space Shuttle, the Soviet Union seriously considered the idea of abducting Soviet orbital stations and vehicles by the Space Shuttle. It was even proposed to equip Soviet manned stations with weapons to protect against a possible shuttle attack.
Nozzles of the ship's attitude control system. Traces of the ship's last entry into the atmosphere are clearly visible on the thermal lining.
The Space Shuttle was actively used for orbital launches of unmanned vehicles, in particular, the Hubble Space Telescope. Crew availability and ability repair work in orbit allowed to avoid embarrassing situations in the spirit of Phobos-Grunt. The Space Shuttle also worked with space stations under the Mir-Space Shuttle program in the early 90s and until recently delivered modules for the ISS, which did not need to be equipped with their own propulsion system. Due to the high cost of flights, the ship could not fully ensure the rotation of crews and the supply of the ISS (according to the developers' idea - its main task).
Space Shuttle "Discovery" - ceramic lining.
Each cladding tile has its own serial number and designation. Unlike the USSR, where ceramic tiles were made with a margin for the Buran program, NASA built a workshop where a special machine made tiles according to the serial number the right sizes automatically. After each flight, several hundred of these tiles had to be replaced.
Ship flight pattern
1. Start - ignition of the propulsion systems of stages I and II, flight control is carried out by deflecting the thrust vector of the shuttle engines, and up to an altitude of about 30 kilometers, additional control is provided by steering deflection. Manual control at the takeoff stage is not provided, the ship is controlled by a computer, similar to a conventional rocket.
2. Separation of solid propellant boosters occurs at 125 seconds of flight when the speed reaches 1390 m/s and the flight altitude is about 50 km. In order not to damage the shuttle, they are separated using eight small solid-fuel rocket engines. At an altitude of 7.6 km, the boosters deploy a braking parachute, and at an altitude of 4.8 km, the main parachutes. At 463 seconds from the moment of launch and at a distance of 256 km from the launch site, solid-fuel boosters splash down, after which they are towed to the shore. In most cases, the boosters could be refueled and reused.
Video footage of the flight into space from the cameras of solid-propellant boosters.
3. At 480 seconds of flight, the detachment of the external fuel tank (orange) occurs, taking into account the speed and height of the separation, rescue and reuse the fuel tank would require equipping it with the same thermal protection as the shuttle itself, which, ultimately, was considered impractical. On a ballistic trajectory, the tank falls into Quiet or Indian Ocean, breaking down in the dense layers of the atmosphere.
4. The exit of the orbital ship into a near-Earth orbit, using the engines of the attitude control system.
5. Implementation of the orbital flight program.
6. Retrograde impulse by hydrazine orientation thrusters, deorbiting.
7. Planning in the earth's atmosphere. Unlike Buran, landing is carried out only manually, so the ship could not fly without a crew.
8. Landing at the spaceport, the ship lands at a speed of about 300 kilometers per hour, which is much higher than the landing speed of conventional aircraft. To reduce the braking distance and the load on the chassis, brake parachutes open immediately after touchdown.
Propulsion system. The tail of the shuttle is capable of bifurcating, acting as an air brake in the final stages of landing.
Despite the outward resemblance, the spaceplane has very little in common with an airplane, it is rather a very heavy glider. The shuttle does not have its own fuel reserves for the main engines, so the engines only work while the ship is connected to the orange fuel tank (for the same reason, the engines are mounted asymmetrically). In space and during landing, the ship uses only low-power orientation thrusters and two hydrazine-fuelled sustainer thrusters (small thrusters on the sides of the main thrusters).
There were plans to equip the Space Shuttles with jet engines, but due to the high cost and the reduced payload of the ship by the weight of engines and fuel, jet engines were abandoned. The lift force of the ship's wings is small, and the landing itself is carried out solely through the use of the kinetic energy of deorbiting. In fact, the ship planned from orbit directly to the spaceport. For this reason, the ship has only one attempt to land, the shuttle will no longer be able to turn around and go to the second circle. Therefore, NASA has built several reserve landing strips around the world for shuttle landings.
Space Shuttle Discovery - crew hatch.
This door is used for boarding and disembarking crew members. The hatch is not equipped with an air lock and is blocked in space. The crew performed space walks, docking with the Mir and the ISS through an airlock in the cargo compartment on the “back” of the spacecraft.
Airtight suit for takeoff and landing of the space shuttle.
The first test flights of the shuttles were equipped with catapult seats, which made it possible to leave the ship in an emergency, then the catapult was removed. There was also one of the emergency landing scenarios, when the crew left the ship on parachutes at the last stage of the descent. Characteristic Orange color suit was chosen to simplify rescue operations in the event of an emergency landing. Unlike a space suit, this suit does not have a heat distribution system and is not intended for spacewalks. In the event of a complete depressurization of the ship, even with a pressure suit, the chances of surviving at least a few hours are few.
Space Shuttle "Discovery" - landing gear and ceramic lining of the bottom and wing.
A suit for work in the open space of the Space Shuttle program.
catastrophes
Of the 5 ships built, 2 perished along with the entire crew.
Shuttle Challenger disaster mission STS-51L
On January 28, 1986, the Challenger shuttle exploded 73 seconds after launch due to a solid propellant booster O-ring failure, bursting through the gap, a jet of fire melting the fuel tank and causing the liquid hydrogen and oxygen supply to explode. The crew, apparently, survived directly in the explosion, but the cabin was not equipped with parachutes or other means of rescue and crashed into the water.
After the Challenger disaster, NASA developed several procedures for rescuing the crew during takeoff and landing, but none of these scenarios would still be able to save the crew of the Challenger, even if it were provided.
Shuttle Columbia disaster mission STS-107
The wreckage of the space shuttle Columbia burns up in the atmosphere.
A section of the wing edge thermal sheathing had been damaged during launch two weeks earlier by a loose piece of insulating foam covering the fuel tank (the tank is filled with liquid oxygen and hydrogen, so the insulating foam avoids ice formation and reduces fuel evaporation). This fact was noticed, but not given due importance, based on the fact that in any case there is little that the astronauts can do. As a result, the flight proceeded normally until the stage of re-entry on February 1, 2003.
It is clearly seen here that the heat shield covers only the edge of the wing. (This is where the Columbia got damaged.)
Under influence high temperatures the thermal sheathing tile collapsed and at an altitude of about 60 kilometers, high-temperature plasma broke through into the aluminum wing structures. A few seconds later, the wing collapsed, at a speed of about Mach 10, the ship lost its stability and was destroyed by aerodynamic forces. Before the Discovery appeared in the museum's exposition, the Enterprise (a training shuttle that made only atmospheric flights) was exhibited at the same place.
The Incident Investigation Commission cut out a fragment of the wing of the museum exhibit for examination. Pieces of foam were fired along the edge of the wing with a special cannon and the damage was assessed. It was this experiment that helped to come to an unambiguous conclusion about the causes of the disaster. The human factor also played a big role in the tragedy; NASA employees underestimated the damage received by the ship at the launch stage.
A simple survey of the wing in outer space could reveal damage, but the MCC did not give the crew such a command, believing that the problem could be solved upon return to Earth, and even if the damage was irreversible, the crew still could not do anything and there was no point in worrying the astronauts in vain. Although this was not the case, the shuttle Atlantis was being prepared for launch, which could be used to conduct a rescue operation. An emergency protocol that will be adopted on all subsequent flights.
Among the wreckage, it was possible to find a video recording that the astronauts made during entry into the atmosphere. Officially, the recording ends a few minutes before the start of the disaster, but I strongly suspect that NASA decided not to publish the last seconds of the astronauts' lives for ethical reasons. The crew did not know about the death that threatened them, looking at the plasma raging outside the ship's windows, one of the astronauts jokes “I would not want to be outside now”, not knowing that this is what the entire crew is waiting for in just a few minutes. Life is full of dark irony.
Termination of the program
Logo of the end of the Space Shuttle program (left) and a commemorative coin (right). The coins are made of metal that has been in space as part of the first mission of the space shuttle Columbia STS-1.
The death of the Columbia space shuttle raised a serious question about the safety of the remaining 3 ships, which had been in operation for over 25 years by that time. As a result, subsequent flights began to take place with a reduced crew, and in reserve there was always one more shuttle, ready for launch, which could carry out a rescue operation. Combined with the U.S. government's shift in focus towards commercial space exploration, these factors led to the termination of the program in 2011. The last shuttle flight was the launch of Atlantis to the ISS on July 8, 2011.
The Space Shuttle program has made a huge contribution to space exploration and the development of knowledge and experience about operating in orbit. Without the Space Shuttle, the construction of the ISS would be completely different and would hardly be close to completion today. On the other hand, there is an opinion that the Space Shuttle program has held back NASA for the past 35 years, requiring high costs for servicing shuttles: the cost of one flight was about 500 million dollars, for comparison, the launch of each Soyuz cost only 75-100.
The ships consumed funds that could be spent on the development of interplanetary programs and more promising areas in the exploration and development of outer space. For example, the construction of a more compact and cheaper reusable or disposable ship, for those missions where a 100 ton Space Shuttle was simply not needed. Abandon NASA from the Space Shuttle, the development of the US space industry could have gone very differently.
How exactly, it is now difficult to say, perhaps NASA simply had no choice, and if there were no shuttles, the civil exploration of space by America could stop altogether. One thing is for sure, to date the Space Shuttle has been and remains the only example of a successful reusable space system. The Soviet Buran, although it was built as a reusable ship, went into space only once, however, this is a completely different story.
Taken from lennikov in Smithsonian National Aerospace Museum Virtual Tour: Part Two
Click the button to subscribe to How It's Made!
If you have a production or service that you want to tell our readers about, write to Aslan ( [email protected] ) and we will make the best report, which will be seen not only by readers of the community, but also by the site How it's done
Subscribe also to our groups in facebook, vkontakte,classmates and in google+plus, where the most interesting things from the community will be posted, plus materials that are not here and a video about how things work in our world.
Click on the icon and subscribe!
What is a shuttle? This is an aircraft design of American manufacturers. The word "shuttle" itself means "shuttle". Such a ship is designed to be launched repeatedly, and it was originally assumed that the shuttles would fly back and forth between the Earth and its orbit, carrying out the delivery of cargo.
The article will be devoted to shuttles - spacecraft, as well as all other shuttles that exist today.
History of creation
Before answering the question of what a shuttle is, consider the history of its creation. It begins in the late 1960s in the United States, when the question of designing a reusable space mechanism was raised. This was due to economic benefits. The intensive exploitation of the space shuttles was supposed to lower the high cost of space.
The concept provided for the formation of an orbital point on the Moon, as well as tasks in the earth's orbit were to be carried out by reusable ships, which received the name "Space Shuttle".
In 1972, documents were signed that determined the appearance of the future shuttle.
The design program has been prepared by North American Rockwell on behalf of NASA since 1971. During the development of the program, the technological ideas of the Apollo system were applied. Five shuttles were designed, two of which did not survive the crashes. The flights were carried out from 1981 to 2011.
According to NASA plans, 24 launches were to be carried out annually, and each board was to perform up to 100 flights. But in the course of work, only 135 launches were performed. by the most large quantity flights distinguished shuttle "Discovery".
System design
Consider what a shuttle is from the point of view of its device. Its launch occurs through a pair of rocket boosters and three engines supplied with fuel from an impressive external tank.
Tacking in orbit is carried out using the engines of a special system designed to carry out orbital maneuvers. This system includes the following steps:
- Two rocket boosters, working two minutes from the moment they are turned on. They give direction to the ship, then detach from it and fly into the ocean using parachutes. After refueling, the accelerators are put back into operation.
- Refueling tank with hydrogen and oxygen supply for the main engines. The tank is also discarded, but a little later - after 8.5 minutes. Almost all of it undergoes combustion in the atmospheric strata, its fragments fall into the ocean space.
- A manned vessel that enters orbit and provides accommodation for the crew and assists in scientific research. Having completed the program, the orbiter flies to the Earth and lands like a glider on the area allocated for landing.
Outwardly, the shuttle looks like an airplane, but, in fact, it is a heavy glider. The shuttle has no fuel reserves for engines. The engines are running as long as the shuttle is connected to the fuel tank. While in space, as well as during landing, the ship uses not very powerful small engines. It was planned to equip the shuttle with jet engines, but the idea was abandoned due to the high cost.
The lifting force of the ship is low, landing is due to kinetic energy. The ship goes from orbit to the spaceport. That is, he has only one chance to land. Unfortunately, there is no opportunity to turn around and make a second circle. For this reason, NASA has built several reserve areas for landing aircraft.
Principles of operation of accelerators
Side boosters are big and super powerful solid propellant devices, producing thrust for the separation of the shuttle from the launch area and flight to a height of 46 km. Accelerator dimensions:
- 45.5 m long;
- 3.7 m - diameter;
- 580 thousand kg - weight.
It is not possible to stop the boosters after launch, so they are switched on after the other three engines have started properly. 75 seconds after launch, the boosters separate from the system, fly by inertia, reach maximum altitude, then parachute into the ocean at a distance of about 226 km from launch. In this case, the landing speed is 23 m/s. The technical service specialists assemble the accelerators and send them to the manufacturing plant, where they are restored for reuse. The repair and reconstruction of shuttles is also explained by economic considerations, because it is much more expensive to create a new ship.
Functions performed
According to the requirement of the military, the aircraft was supposed to deliver cargoes up to 30 tons, deliver cargoes up to 14.5 tons to Earth. For this, the cargo compartment had to have dimensions of 18 meters in length and 4.5 meters in diameter.
The space program did not set itself the goal of "bombing" actions. Neither NASA, nor the Pentagon, nor the US Congress confirm such information. For bombing purposes, the Dyna-Soar project was developed. However, over time, as part of the project, they were engaged in intelligence activities. Gradually, Dyna-Soar became a research project, and in 1963 it was completely canceled. Many of the results of Dyna-Soar carried over into the shuttle project.
Shuttles delivered cargo to an altitude of 200-500 km, they carried out many scientific developments, serviced spacecraft at orbital points, and were engaged in assembly and restoration work. Shuttles operated flights to repair telescopic equipment.
In the 1990s, the shuttles participated in the Mir-Shuttle program, jointly conducted by Russia and the United States. Nine dockings with the Mir station were carried out.
The design of the shuttles has been constantly improved. Over the entire period of use of the ships, thousands of devices have been developed.
Shuttles assisted in the implementation of the project for the formation of Many modules to the ISS were delivered using shuttles. Some of these modules are not equipped with engines, so they are not able to autonomously move and maneuver. To deliver them to the station, you need a cargo ship or shuttle. The role of shuttles in this direction cannot be overestimated.
Some interesting data
The average stay of a spacecraft in space is two weeks. The shortest flight was made by shuttle Columbia, it lasted a little more than two days. The longest voyage of the Columbia ship was 17 days.
The crew consists of two to eight astronauts, along with a pilot and a commander. The shuttle orbits were in intervals from 185,643 km.
The Space Shuttle program was canceled in 2011. It existed for 30 years. For the entire time of its implementation, 135 flights were made. Shuttles traveled 872 million km and lifted cargo total weight 1.6 thousand tons. The orbit was visited by 355 astronauts. The cost of one flight was approximately $450 million. The total cost of the entire program was $160 billion.
The last launch was the launch of Atlantis. In it, the crew was reduced to four people.
As a result of the project, all shuttles were canceled and sent to the museum storage.
catastrophes
Space shuttles have suffered only two catastrophes in their entire history.
In 1986, the Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch. The reason was an accident in a solid fuel booster. The entire crew - seven people - was killed. The wreckage of the shuttle burned up in the atmosphere. After the crash, the program was suspended for 32 months.
The shuttle Columbia burned down in 2003. The reason was the destruction of the heat-shielding shell of the ship. The entire crew - seven people - was killed.
The Soviet leadership closely followed the process of implementing the program for the creation and implementation of American space shuttles. This project was perceived as a threat from the United States. It has been suggested that:
- shuttles can be used as platforms for nuclear weapons;
- American shuttles can steal satellites from earth orbit Soviet Union.
As a result, the Soviet government decided to build its own space mechanism, in terms of parameters not inferior to the American one.
In addition to the Soviet Union, many countries, following the United States, began to design their own multiple spacecraft. These are Germany, France, Japan, China.
Following the American ship, the Buran shuttle was created in the Soviet Union. It was intended to perform military and peaceful tasks.
At first, the ship was conceived as an exact copy of an American invention. But some difficulties arose during the development process, so the Soviet designers had to look for own solutions. One of the obstacles was the lack of engines similar to the American ones. More precisely, in the USSR, engines had completely different technical parameters.
The Buran flight took place in 1988. This happened under the control of the on-board computer. The landing of the shuttle determined the success of the flight, which was not believed by many dignitaries. The fundamental difference between the Buran and the American shuttles was that the Soviet counterpart was able to land on its own. The American ships did not have such an opportunity.
Design features
"Buran" had an impressive size, like its overseas counterparts. The cabin accommodated ten people.
An important design feature was a heat-shielding shell, the weight of which was over 7 tons.
Goods could fit in the spacious cargo compartment large sizes including space satellites.
The launch of the ship was two-stage. First, four rockets and engines were separated from the ship. The second stage - engines with oxygen and hydrogen.
When creating Buran, one of the main requirements was its reusability. Only the fuel tank was disposable. American boosters had the ability to splash down in the ocean. Soviet boosters landed in the steppes near Baikonur, so that their secondary use was not possible.
The second feature of Buran was that the engines were located on the fuel tank and therefore burned out in the air. The designers were faced with the task of making the engines reusable, which could reduce the cost of the space exploration program.
If you look at the shuttle (the photo shows it) and its Soviet counterpart, one gets the impression that these ships are identical. But this is only an external similarity with the fundamental internal differences between the two systems.
So, we have considered what a shuttle is. But these days, this word is used not only for ships for extraterrestrial flights. The idea of the shuttle found its embodiment in many inventions of science and technology.
car-ship
Honda released a car called the "Shuttle". It was originally produced for the USA and given the name Odyssey. This free car was a success in the New World due to its excellent technical parameters.
"Honda Shuttle" was released directly for Europe. At first, this was the name of the Honda Civic station wagon, reminiscent of a microvan. But in 1991, it was removed from a number of manufactured modifications. The name "Shuttle" remained unclaimed. And only in 1994, Japanese machine builders released a new minivan with that name. Why the manufacturers decided to stop at such a model name, one can only guess. Perhaps the idea of a fast space shuttle struck the creators of cars, and they wanted to create a unique fast car.
"Shuttle" is a 5-door station wagon with high traffic. The body has rounded corners, most of the surface is glazed. The salon is characterized by the possibility of transformation. The seats are arranged in three rows, the last one retracts into a niche. The cabin has air conditioning, comfortable chairs with plenty of space.
The car is extremely comfortable to drive thanks to the energy-intensive front and rear suspension. The Shuttle successfully copes with the tasks set on the road. However, there were no more deliveries of this model to Europe, its place was taken by the Honda Stream.
Developing in 2011, launches the Fit Shuttle line. The line was created on the basis of the Honda Fit hatchback.
The car has a 1.5 liter unit and a 1.3 liter hybrid. Both front and rear wheel drive vehicles are produced.
"Honda Fit Shuttle" is characterized as an economical, spacious, ergonomic and comfortable car on the road. The car drives perfectly on the streets of megacities. It is suitable for families and business.
"Honda Fit Shuttle" is equipped with the highest safety requirements. It has airbags, ABS, ESP.
"Fit Shuttle" is still very popular among car owners and has the highest ratings.
Together with children
You can take a flight on a star shuttle with your child by turning on the image and purchasing a Lego toy. The first space-themed set was released by the company back in 1973. It was a building game. Since then, several series of "space" sets have been produced, relating to different price levels.
The popular set with article number 60078 includes:
- service shuttle;
- space satellite;
- figurines of astronauts;
- stickers;
- build information.
The packaging depicts a spaceship, astronauts, the planet Earth and its satellite - the Moon. In Lego, the shuttle is the main element of the set. It is made of white parts with dark inserts and bright red stripes. In its cockpit, two figures of astronauts can be placed. There are two of them - a man and a woman. In the ship they sit next to each other. To get into the cockpit, you need to remove it upper part.
The Lego Shuttle set has become a welcome dream come true for anyone who dreams of space war ideas. Its main component is not a fictional ship, but quite realistic. The space shuttle collects positive reviews about itself, it strongly resembles authentic American ships that plied the expanses of space. Together with this unique set, you can plunge into the world of space travel and flights for a couple with a child. Moreover, you can play not only with boys, but also with girls, because the set includes a female figure of an astronaut for a reason.
Stolen ship
The Lego company also created the Tydirium shuttle, which reminds us of numerous episodes " star wars". In total, the company has produced six such ships since 2001. They all differ in size.
The Imperial shuttle has been stolen by the Rebels and is now to be retrieved. Exciting adventures along with the heroes of star travel await little players.
The set includes minifigures: Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, rebels - 2 pcs. The shuttle itself is made in white with gray accents. Two figures fit in the cockpit, it opens through the upper part of the nose. Behind the cab there is a compartment for cargo. Manufacturers say the shuttle assembly process can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. With the help of minifigures, it becomes possible to play out many exciting scenes.
Space games for PC
Bethesda, inspired by the idea of exploring space, released the game Prey for consoles and computers with an interesting plot. It is based on a non-existent reality in which American President John F. Kennedy remained alive after the assassination attempt and began to intensively develop space exploration projects.
Aliens from outer space are attacking the planet Earth. They are called typhons. The USA and the USSR join forces in the fight against enemy forces. But the USSR is undergoing disintegration, and only the USA will have to eliminate the Typhons. Scientists can control the aliens' brains and gain their abilities.
One of the missions of the game is to get on the shuttle. For many, this is a real problem.
Experienced players conquered the shuttle in Prey and give advice to beginners. In order to get on the ship, you need to go down to one of the lower rooms and find the key card there. The key helps open the door and find the elevator. You need to go up the elevator, find the terminal there, which will be activated, after which a bridge appears. With the help of the bridge and get on the shuttle.
Bus options
Nowadays, shuttles are called not only spaceships in reality and in games, but also bus transport. As a rule, these are fast buses that deliver passengers from the airport to the hotel, to the metro station or vice versa. It can also be a corporate transport that transports passengers to places of various events. Shuttles are scheduled in advance. As a rule, they run quite often, which is extremely convenient.
So, we have dismantled the ambiguous word "shuttle", examined all the areas in which it is used, and also cited fascinating stories related to space shuttles.
Today we will tell you how to make a small scale from a simple sheet of paper. space shuttle model.
We hope that Paper shuttle will be a good addition to the previously published folding instructions.
Reference: The Shuttle is an American reusable spacecraft that was used to deliver cargo to the earth's orbit. From 1981 to 2011, five shuttles were created by the American space agency NASSA.
We fold the Shuttle out of paper
In order to make a flying model of the Shuttle out of paper, you will need a regular rectangular sheet of A-4 paper, which will need to be folded according to the instructions given:
- Fold a sheet of paper in half as shown below.
Fold the sheet in half
- Then, from the lower right corner, measure 4 cm and make a bend line that should be tucked into the middle.
Now fold the right corner
- After that, we proceed to the manufacture of wings, for this it is necessary to step back 2 cm from the lower left corner and bend two wings.
Step back 2 cm and bend the wings
- Now bend the edges of the wings as shown below.
Folding the edges of the wings
- Turn the shuttle as shown and fold the wings in line with the ship's hull.
Folding the wings again
- Bend the wings again, but already up.
And once again we bend our wings
- Shuttle - READY!
In order to make the paper shuttle more neat and beautiful, we suggest printing the following paper shuttle scheme on the printer.
Watch the video tutorial "How to make a Shuttle out of paper."
