List of Space Shuttle missions

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/list-of-space-shuttle-missions

1. What was the Space Shuttle program and why did NASA build it?
2. How many Space Shuttle missions were flown and how many astronauts flew on them?

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What was the Space Shuttle program and why did NASA build it?The Space Shuttle was a reusable spacecraft that could launch, orbit, and land like an airplane. NASA built it to make space travel cheaper and more regular after the Apollo missions.
2. How many Space Shuttle missions were flown and how many astronauts flew on them?The program completed 135 missions and carried more than 350 astronauts.

Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV): A rocket designed for a single use, discarded after its mission, in contrast to reusable spacecraft.
Space Transportation System (STS): The official designation for the Space Shuttle program, encompassing the orbiters, external tank, and solid rocket boosters.
Microgravity Research: Scientific experiments conducted in an environment with significantly reduced gravitational forces, offering unique insights into physical and biological processes.