The space shuttle takes people up into space and brings them back again.  It lifts off like a rocket and travels in space like a spacecraft.  Then, it returns to earth like an airplane.  The main part of the shuttle is the orbiter.  It goes up with two rockets and a fuel tank.  These are pushed away when used up.  An important use of space shuttles is to take satellites to space.  The larger orbiter has a large cargo bay for carrying them.  A shuttle’s cargo is called its payload.  A crew of up to seven people can be carried in the orbiter.  You don’t have to be a fully trained astronaut to travel in the space shuttle.

     Most shuttle launches are made at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida.  The shuttle fleet has four orbiters – Columbia, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavor.  An orbiter is designed to last for at least 100 flights.  The rocplatformkets may be reused 20 times.  The shuttle is prepared for launch in the Vehicle Assembly building.

     The two rockets are built upon a mobile  and the external fuel tank is attached.  Then the orbiter with its payload on board is fixed to the tank.  A giant transporter takes the shuttle and platform to the launch pad.  The crew enters the shuttle on the launch pad.  The countdown to lift off begins.  All systems are checked.  If there is something wrong,