Space Shuttle Discovery

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

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/space-shuttle-discovery

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 is Space Shuttle Discovery known for?Deployment of Hubble Space Telescope, assembly of International Space Station modules
2. What is the orbiter vehicle designation?OV-103
3. What is the program?NASA Space Shuttle program
4. What was Space Shuttle Discovery and how many times did it fly?Space Shuttle Discovery was a NASA space shuttle that flew 39 times between 1984 and 2011. It was the third operational orbiter in NASA's fleet.
5. How did Discovery help launch the Hubble Space Telescope?Discovery carried the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit, allowing it to observe the universe and make many important discoveries.

Orbiter Vehicle Designation: A unique alphanumeric code assigned to each Space Shuttle orbiter for identification.
Thermal Protection System: Materials, primarily heat-resistant tiles, used to shield spacecraft from extreme temperatures during re-entry.
Microgravity Research: Scientific experiments conducted in an environment with significantly reduced gravitational effects, typically on space stations.
Aerodynamic Glide: The process of a spacecraft descending through the atmosphere using its shape to generate lift and control its descent, similar to an airplane.