Space shuttles are huge vehicles that carry astronauts millions of miles into the cold space. Large engines and rockets power the high-tech space shuttles. Astronauts ride in the orbiter section of the shuttles. An orbiter is the airplane like part of the space shuttle where the astronauts ride. When the space shuttle lifts off the ground it gets to space only 10 minutes after.

Power

A space shuttle needs a whole lot of power to blast off into space. The brownish external tank holds engine fuel. This fuel gives power to these main engines. Astronaut's control three main engines from the flight deck where is where all control happens. Two solid boosters give a shuttle extra power during the very powerful lift-off. Smaller engines called thrusters help change a shuttles speed on the trip into space.

Solid Rocket Boosters

Two solid rocket boosters give a space shuttle a powerful thrust. The boosters fall to the ocean only two minutes after lift off. Workers will clean and the empty rocket boosters after they fall into the sea. Then they will refill them for the next flight.

External Tank

The brown external tank outside the orbiter holds fuel. The fuel lasts about nine minutes. Astronaughts separate the empty tank from the shuttle. This makes the shuttle lighter and easier to fly. The external tank breaks continues into space.

This page last modified on February 20, 2003.

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