PURDUE HONORS COLLEGE VISITING SCHOLARS SERIES

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE

Origin The First A U.S. initiative created to design space In 1976, after the success of the moon planes laid the framework for the space program, NASA developed a test shuttle, shuttle program. During the 1950s, the Enterprise, for atmospheric test flights. The need for reusable space vehicles became first orbital flight, conducted by shuttle evident; however, the race to the moon Columbia, had two crew members - John put the plans on hold until the early Young, and Bob Crippen. The objective 1970s, when Nixon announced the shuttle was to ensure the shuttle could survive the program. (Wall, 2011). environment of space (Howell, 2017).

Design The shuttle design was influenced by calculations from the U.S. military and a limited budget. The military determined the size of the cargo bay to allow for large satellites (Howell, 2017). There were three shuttle components: the orbiter, external tank, and solid rocket boosters. The external tank was not reusable because it burned upon on reentry (NASA - Shuttle Basics, n.d.).

THE LONG ROAD TO SUCCESS 1958 1972 1975 Space plane vehicle Nixon announces the Space Shuttle development the space shuttle Columbia begins programs with the program in response construction. It was U.S. military, to a limited NASA destined to be the NACA, and NASA budget making single first orbiter in the paved the way for the use space vehicles program to travel to initial designs of the less practical. space (Howell, shuttle (Wall, 2011). (NASA, n.d.). 2017). 1976 1977 1981 Construction on Enterprise Space Shuttle prototype space completes the first Columbia conducts shuttle orbiter ever test flight of a its first orbital flight. Enterprise is space shuttle It orbited the Earth completed (NASA, conducted within 37 times (NASA, n.d.). earth's atmosphere n.d.). (Smith, 2014).

Cover Image Source: ([This Week in NASA History: STS-85 Launches – Aug. 7, 1997]. (1997).) Astronaut Views on the Shuttle

"No matter how many times you ride this rocket, you're always a bit taken aback by the ignition of the solid rocket motors," - Colonel Richard Covey Pilot during STS-26 (‘Roger, Go’: Remembering the Shuttle’s Return to Flight, 30 Years Ago, 2018).

Image Source: ([Dick Covey]. (n.d.).)

"It was like dancing in the cosmos" - Astronaut Jim Wetherbee during shuttle Discovery's rendezvous on STS-63 (Mitchell, 2018).

"This vehicle is performing like a champ. I've got a super spaceship under me." - STS-1 astronaut Bob Crippen (Mitchell, 2018).

Image Source: ([This Week in NASA History: ASTRO-2 Launches – Mar. 2, 1995]. (1995).) Image Source: ([CAPT, USN (RET) Jim Wetherbee]. (n.d.).) "The dream is alive" - John Young, after his two man orbital flight of STS-1 (Mitchell, 2018). References [Dick Covey]. (n.d.). [Photograph] Astronaut Scholarship Foundation https://www.astronautscholarship.org/Astronauts/richard-dick-o-covey/

[CAPT, USN (RET) Jim Wetherbee]. (n.d.). [Photograph] CAPT, USN (RET) Jim Wetherbee. https://www.jimwetherbee.com/about-1

Howell, E. (2017, November 30). Columbia: First Shuttle in Space.com. https://www.space.com/18008-space-shuttle-columbia.html

NASA - Shuttle Basics. (n.d.). NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/system/system_STS.html

NASA - Space Shuttle Historical Timeline. (n.d.). NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/587715main_Timeline_Text_Based_v3.pdf

Mitchell, Anthony (2018, August 9). “Best Space Shuttle Quotes You Need to Know”. SpaceQuotations. https://spacequotations.com/quotes-about-space-shuttles/

‘Roger, Go’: Remembering the Shuttle’s Return to Flight, 30 Years Ago. (2018, September 30). AmericaSpace. https://www.americaspace.com/2018/09/30/roger-go-remembering-the- shuttles-return-to-flight-30-years-ago/

Smith, H. (2014, August 26). Our Spaceflight Heritage: a piggyback ride for Enterprise. SpaceFlight Insider. https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/space-flight-history/spaceflight- heritage- enterprise/#:%7E:text=The%20initial%20testing%20period%20named%20Approach%20and %20Landing,handling%20and%20braking%20characteristics%20of%20the%20mated%20sy stem.

[This Week in NASA History: ASTRO-2 Launches – Mar. 2, 1995]. (1995). [Photograph]. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/images

[This Week in NASA History: STS-85 Launches – Aug. 7, 1997]. (1997). [Photograph]. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/images

Wall, M. (2011, June 28). How the Space Shuttle Was Born. Space.com. https://www.space.com/12085-nasa-space-shuttle-history-born.html