Editing Space Shuttle program (section)

{{Short description|1972–2011 United States human spaceflight program}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox space program
| image           = [[File:Shuttle Patch.svg|frameless|upright]]
| alt             = An image of the Space Shuttle stack imposed on a triangular patch; the words "Space Shuttle" are printed underneath
| country         = United States
| organization    = [[NASA]]
| purpose         = Crewed orbital flight
| status          = Completed
| cost            = {{US$|196 billion|link=yes}} (2011)
| duration        = 1972–2011{{Efn|The program was suspended between 1986 and 1988 and between 2003 and 2005 after catastrophic failures.}}
| firstflight     = {{Start date|1977|08|12}} ([[Approach and Landing Tests|ALT-12]])
| firstcrewed     = {{Start date|1981|04|12}} ([[STS-1]])
| lastflight      = {{Start date|2011|07|21}} ([[STS-135]])
| successes       = 133
| failures        = 2 ([[STS-51-L]], [[STS-107]]) <!----- NASA refers to STS-107 as "catastrophic failure" not partial failure [history.nasa.gov/columbia/Introduction.html] ----->
| partialfailures = 1 ([[STS-83]])  <!----- STS-83 is a "partial failure" as a fuel cell failure shortened the mission and unable to complete all objectives ----->
| launchsite      = {{Unbulleted list
   | [[Kennedy Space Center|Kennedy]], [[LC-39A]]
   | Kennedy, [[LC-39B]]
   }}
| crewvehicle     = [[Space Shuttle orbiter]]
| launcher        = [[Space Shuttle]]
}}
{{United States space program sidebar}}

The '''Space Shuttle program''' was the fourth [[human spaceflight]] program carried out by the U.S. [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]] (NASA), which accomplished routine transportation for Earth-to-orbit crew and cargo from 1981 to 2011. Its official program name was [[Space Transportation System]] (STS), taken from a 1969 plan for a system of reusable spacecraft where it was the only item funded for development, as a proposed nuclear shuttle in the plan was cancelled in 1972.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Portree |first1=David S. F. |title=The Last Days of the Nuclear Shuttle (1971) |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/09/nuclear-flight-system-definition-studies-1971/ |website=Wired.com |access-date=August 1, 2024}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/taskgrp.html|title=Space Task Group Report, 1969|first=Roger D.|last=Launius|publisher=NASA|date=1969|access-date=July 31, 2024|archive-date=January 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114031850/http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/taskgrp.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It flew 135 missions and carried 355 astronauts from 16 countries, many on multiple trips. 

The [[Space Shuttle]], composed of an [[Space Shuttle orbiter|orbiter]] launched with two reusable [[Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster|solid rocket boosters]] and a disposable [[external fuel tank]], carried up to eight [[astronaut]]s and up to {{Convert|50000|lb|kg|abbr=on}} of [[payload]] into [[low Earth orbit]] (LEO). When its mission was complete, the orbiter would [[atmospheric reentry|reenter]] the Earth's atmosphere and land like a [[glider (aircraft)|glider]] at either the [[Kennedy Space Center]] or [[Edwards Air Force Base]].

The Shuttle is the only winged crewed spacecraft to have achieved orbit and landing, and the first reusable crewed space vehicle that made multiple flights into orbit.{{Efn|The Soviet shuttle [[Buran (spacecraft)|Buran]] was very similar and was designed to have the same capabilities but made only one uncrewed spaceflight before it was cancelled.}} [[List of Space Shuttle missions|Its missions]] involved carrying large payloads to various orbits including the [[International Space Station]] (ISS), providing crew rotation for the space station, and performing service missions on the [[Hubble Space Telescope]]. The orbiter also recovered [[satellite]]s and other payloads (e.g., from the ISS) from orbit and returned them to Earth, though its use in this capacity was rare. Each vehicle was designed with a projected lifespan of 100 launches, or 10 years' operational life. Original selling points on the shuttles were over 150 launches over a 15-year operational span with a 'launch per month' expected at the peak of the program, but extensive delays in the development of the International Space Station<ref name="iss-casis.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.iss-casis.org/About/ISSTimeline.aspx|title=International Space Station Historical Timeline|publisher=Center for Advancement of Science in Space|access-date=November 27, 2022}}</ref> never created such a peak demand for frequent flights.