Space Shuttle Vehicle Overview
A complete overview of the Space Shuttle launch vehicle, including launch stats, vehicle info and launch locations.
Basic Info
Name
Space Shuttle
Family
Space Shuttle
Manufacturer
First Launch
12 Apr 1981
Successful Launches
133
Failed Launches
2
Rocket Info
Status
Inactive
Stages
2
Length
56.1 m
Diameter
8 m
Launch Mass
2,030 tons
Thrust
28,200 kN
Reusability
Reusable
Payload Info
LEO Capacity
27,500 kg
Launch Cost
$450M
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program name was Space Transportation System (STS). Five complete Space Shuttle orbiter vehicles were built and flown on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011.
Launch Sites used by Space Shuttle
Kennedy Space Center
NASA's primary launch site for human spaceflight, housing iconic facilities and a rich space history.