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Whither the Space Shuttle

Roger D. LauniusRoger D. LauniusNational Air and Space MuseumNational Air and Space Museum

Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian Institution

2What Do You do for an Encore after you have been to the Moon?

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Early Space Shuttle Concepts

4A 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.

5Building 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• 1981—First flight of Columbia.• 1982—Pres. Reagan declares

Space Shuttle operational.• 1986—Challenger accident at

launch of 25th flight.• 1988—Return to flight of shuttle.• 1995—First docking at Russian

Mir space station.• 1998—STS-95, John Glenn flight.• 1998—First orbital assembly of

ISS.• 2003—Columbia accident on

reentry. Total of 113 missions, 111 successful.

• 2005—Return to flight, STS-115.• 2011—135 missions flown.

7Preparing for Launch

8Go for Launch

9Living and Working in Orbit

10The EVA Experience

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13Shuttle/Mir Program, 1995-98

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Tragedies: Challenger 1986 and Columbia 2003

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16IS THE SPACE SHUTTLE A GOOD INVESTMENT?

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Yes No

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PUBLIC WILLINGNESS TO TRAVEL IN SPACE

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18Building the International Space Station

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20Assessing the Shuttle’s Legacy

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