What is the maximum limit of a space shuttle mission?

The Shuttle is designed to reach orbits ranging from about 185 kilometers to 643 kilometers (115 statute miles to 400 statute miles) high. The Shuttle has the most reliable launch record of any rocket now in operation. Since 1981, it has boosted more than 1.36 million kilograms (3 million pounds) of cargo into orbit.

Were there ever two space shuttles in space at the same time?

The first time two space shuttles were ever on the launchpads at the same time was in 1985. Then it was Columbia for STS-61-C and Challenger for the ill-fated STS-51-L.

How far can a spaceship go in space?

That ~18 billion light-year figure is the limit of the reachable Universe, set by the expansion of the Universe and the effects of dark energy.

Does NASA reuse space shuttles?

All of the components are reused except for the external fuel tank, which burns up in the atmosphere after each launch. The longest the Shuttle has stayed in orbit on any single mission is 17.5 days on mission STS-80 in November 1996. Normally, missions may be planned for anywhere from five to 16 days in duration.

Were all space shuttles the same?

Three of the names had also been given to Apollo spacecraft between 1969 and 1972: Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, Apollo 15 Command Module Endeavour, and Apollo 17 Lunar Module Challenger. While all of the orbiters were externally practically identical, they had minor differences in their interiors.

Why did NASA stop the space shuttle program?

While reentering Earth’s atmosphere, Columbia broke apart, killing the entire crew. All of these factors — high costs, slow turnaround, few customers, and a vehicle (and agency) that had major safety problems — combined to make the Bush administration realize it was time for the Space Shuttle Program to retire.

How many space shuttles have there been flown?

135: Total number of NASA space shuttle missions that will have flown between 1981 and 2011. NASA added the prefix of “STS” (Space Transportation System) to each shuttle mission. Of the 135 missions, 133 flights went as planned, with two ending in disaster.

How many astronauts have spent time at the International Space Station?

234: The total number of days space shuttle astronauts spent at the International Space Station between 1998 and 2011, the construction phase of the orbiting laboratory. 180: The total number of satellites and other payloads, including components for the International Space Station, deployed by NASA space shuttles.

What happened to the Space Shuttle program?

Space Shuttle and International Space Station. A joint decision by the U.S. Air Force and NASA to consolidate Space Shuttle operations at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, following the Challenger accident in 1986, resulted in the official termination of the Space Shuttle program at Vandenberg on December 26, 1989,…

How many times has a NASA shuttle docked at Mir?

9: The number of times a NASA shuttle docked at Russia’s space station Mir between 1994 and 1998. 8: The largest number of astronauts to fly on a NASA shuttle at one time. It happened at least twice: during the STS-61A shuttle mission in 1985, then again in 1995 during the STS-71 flight’s return from the Russian Space Station Mir.