Powering the Space Shuttle

Space shuttle Atlantis left the launch pad from the Kennedy Space Center, rocketed into orbit, returned safely and retired into the history books. NASA’s space shuttle is the the first ever reusable spacecraft that can launch like a rocket, orbit like a spacecraft and land like a plane. It can fly at 17,500 mph around the globe. Discover how the Space Shuttle works and what it takes to blast it off into space and safely return to Earth. See also How Do Astronauts Control Temperature in Space and the 50 Years of Space Exploration.