Space Shuttle orbiter

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/space-shuttle-orbiter

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. How heavy is Space Shuttle orbiter?Approximately 4.5 million pounds (2,041 metric tons)
2. What is the orbiter vehicle designation?Part of NASA's Space Transportation System (STS)
3. What is the primary re-entry mechanism?Aerodynamic gliding and landing on a conventional runway
4. How does the Space Shuttle orbiter travel to space and come back?First, it uses rockets and big boosters to lift off. Then it glides through the air, like a plane, and lands on a runway.
5. Why did NASA build the Space Shuttle orbiter?NASA wanted a cheaper and more frequent way to send people and equipment to space. A reusable vehicle could save money and time compared to rockets that are used only once.

Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV): A rocket designed for a single use, with its stages discarded after launch.
Thermal Protection System (TPS): The system of tiles and panels designed to protect the orbiter from extreme heat during re-entry.
Space Transportation System (STS): The overall program that included the orbiter, external tank, solid rocket boosters, and ground support facilities.