The Space Shuttle Program - The Future Of The Space Shuttle Program

In January 2004 President Bush announced a new vision for the future of the nation's space program. It calls for NASA to send astronauts to the moon by 2020 and to Mars after that. This would require a completely new spacecraft. The space shuttle was not designed to fly farther than a few hundred miles from Earth. The space shuttle program would be ended by 2010, assuming that existing U.S. commitments to build the ISS are completed by then. The nearly $6 billion spent each year on the shuttle and ISS programs would be transferred to the new projects, which would also be allocated new funds.

In October 2005 NASA announced it planned to fly nineteen more space shuttle missions between 2006 and 2010. The first of these missions, the second return-to-flight, was scheduled for the second half of 2006 using the orbiter Discovery.

During grounding of the space shuttle fleet American ISS crewmembers were transported aboard Soyuz rockets by the Russian space agency, Rosaviakosmos. NASA was unable to pay Rosaviakosmos for this service due to the Iran Nonproliferation Act of 2000, which forbids payment of "extraordinary" amounts of money from the United States to Russia until it is proven that Russia is not sharing with Iran any technology related to missiles or weapons of mass destruction. In order to raise badly needed funds, Rosaviakosmos charged "space tourists" millions of dollars to fly to the ISS. In November 2005 the U.S. Senate approved amendments to the Iran Nonproliferation Act allowing NASA to pay the Russian space agency until 2012 for launches supporting the ISS.

TABLE 4.4 Space shuttle missions

TABLE 4.4
Space shuttle missions
Flight order	STS* number	Orbiter name	Primary payload	Launch date	Landing date
1	STS-1	Columbia	Shuttle systems test	4/12/1981	4/14/1981
2	STS-2	Columbia	OSTA-1	11/12/1981	11/14/1981
3	STS-3	Columbia	Office of Space Science-1 (OSS-1)	3/22/1982	3/30/1982
4	STS-4	Columbia	DOD and Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System (CFES)	6/27/1982	7/4/1982
5	STS-5	Columbia	Canadian satellite ANIK C-3; SBS-C	11/11/1982	11/16/1982
6	STS-6	Challenger	TDRS-1	4/4/1983	4/9/1983
7	STS-7	Challenger	Canadian satellite ANIK C-2; PALAPA B1	6/18/1983	6/24/1983
8	STS-8	Challenger	India satellite INSAT-1B	8/30/1983	9/5/1983
9	STS-9	Columbia	Spacelab-1	11/28/1983	12/8/1983
10	STS-41-B	Challenger	WESTAR-VI; PALAPA-B2	2/3/1984	2/11/1984
11	STS-41-C	Challenger	LDEF deploy	4/6/1984	4/13/1984
12	STS-41-D	Discovery	SBS-D; SYNCOM IV-2; TELSTAR	8/30/1984	9/5/1984
13	STS-41-G	Challenger	Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS); OSTA-3	10/5/1984	10/13/1984
14	STS-51-A	Discovery	Canadian communications satellite TELESAT-H; SYNCOM IV-1	11/8/1984	11/16/1984
15	STS-51-C	Discovery	DOD	1/24/1985	1/27/1985
16	STS-51-D	Discovery	Canadian satellite TELESAT-I; SYNCOM IV-3	4/12/1985	4/19/1985
17	STS-51-B	Challenger	Spacelab-3	4/29/1985	5/6/1985
18	STS-51-G	Discovery	MORELOS-A; Arab satellite ARABSAT-A; AT&T satellite TELSTAR-3D	6/17/1985	6/24/1985
19	STS-51-F	Challenger	Spacelab-2	7/29/1985	8/6/1985
20	STS-51-I	Discovery	American satellite ASC-1; AUSSAT-1; SYNCOM IV-4	8/27/1985	9/3/1985
21	STS-51-J	Atlantis	DOD	10/3/1985	10/7/1985
22	STS-61-A	Challenger	D-1 spacelab mission (first German-dedicated spacelab)	10/30/1985	11/6/1985
23	STS-61-B	Atlantis	MORELOS-B; AUSSAT-2; RCA americom satellite SATCOM KU-2	11/26/1985	12/3/1985
24	STS-61-C	Columbia	RCA americom satellite SATCOM KU-1	1/12/1986	1/18/1986
25	STS-51-L	Challenger	TDRS-B; SPARTAN-203	1/28/1986	Vehicle broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff
26	STS-26	Discovery	TDRS-C	9/29/1988	10/3/1988
27	STS-27	Atlantis	DOD	12/2/1988	12/6/1988
28	STS-29	Discovery	TDRS-D	3/13/1989	3/18/1989
29	STS-30	Atlantis	Magellan	5/4/1989	5/8/1989
30	STS-28	Columbia	DOD	8/8/1989	8/13/1989
31	STS-34	Atlantis	Galileo; SSBUV	10/18/1989	10/23/1989
32	STS-33	Discovery	DOD	11/22/1989	11/27/1989
33	STS-32	Columbia	SYNCOM IV-F5; LDEF retrieval	1/9/1990	1/20/1990
34	STS-36	Atlantis	DOD	2/28/1990	3/4/1990
35	STS-31	Discovery	HST deploy	4/24/1990	4/29/1990
36	STS-41	Discovery	Ulysses; SSBUV; INTELSAT Solar Array Coupon (ISAC)	10/6/1990	10/10/1990
37	STS-38	Atlantis	DOD	11/15/1990	11/20/1990
38	STS-35	Columbia	ASTRO-1	12/2/1990	12/10/1990
39	STS-37	Atlantis	Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO)	4/5/1991	4/11/1991
40	STS-39	Discovery	DOD; Air Force Program-675 (AFP675); Infrared Background Signature Survey (IBSS); Shuttle Pallet Satellite-II (SPAS-II)	4/28/1991	5/6/1991
41	STS-40	Columbia	Spacelab Life Sciences-1 (SLS-1)	6/5/1991	6/14/1991
42	STS-43	Atlantis	TDRS-E; SSBUV	8/2/1991	8/11/1991
43	STS-48	Discovery	Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS)	9/12/1991	9/18/1991
44	STS-44	Atlantis	DOD; Defense Support Program (DSP)	11/24/1991	12/1/1991
45	STS-42	Discovery	IML-1	1/22/1992	1/30/1992
46	STS-45	Atlantis	ATLAS-1	3/24/1992	4/2/1992
47	STS-49	Endeavour	Intelsat VI repair	5/7/1992	5/16/1992
48	STS-50	Columbia	USML-1	6/25/1992	7/9/1992
49	STS-46	Atlantis	TSS-1; EURECA deploy	7/31/1992	8/8/1992
50	STS-47	Endeavour	Space lab-J	9/12/1992	9/20/1992
51	STS-52	Columbia	USMP-1; Laser Geodynamic Satellite-II (LAGEOS-II)	10/22/1992	11/1/1992
52	STS-53	Discovery	DOD; Orbital Debris Radar Calibration Spheres (ODERACS)	12/2/1992	12/9/1992
53	STS-54	Endeavour	TDRS-F; Diffuse X-ray Spectrometer (DXS)	1/13/1993	1/19/1993
54	STS-56	Discovery	ATLAS-2; SPARTAN-201	4/8/1993	4/17/1993
55	STS-55	Columbia	D-2 spacelab mission (second German-dedicated spacelab)	4/26/1993	5/6/1993

TABLE 4.4 Space shuttle missions (CONTINUED)

TABLE 4.4
Space shuttle missions (CONTINUED)
Flight order	STS* number	Orbiter name	Primary payload	Launch date	Landing date
56	STS-57	Endeavour	SPACEHAB-1; EURECA retrieval	6/21/1993	7/1/1993
57	STS-51	Discovery	Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS)/Transfer orbit stage (TOS)	9/12/1993	9/22/1993
58	STS-58	Columbia	Spacelab SLS-2	10/18/1993	11/1/1993
59	STS-61	Endeavour	1st HST servicing	12/2/1993	12/13/1993
60	STS-60	Discovery	WSF; SpaceHab-2	2/3/1994	2/11/1994
61	STS-62	Columbia	USMP-2; Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology-2 (OAST-2)	3/4/1994	3/18/1994
62	STS-59	Endeavour	SRL-1	4/9/1994	4/20/1994
63	STS-65	Columbia	IML-2	7/8/1994	7/23/1994
64	STS-64	Discovery	LIDAR In-space Technology Experiment (LITE); Spartan-201	9/9/1994	9/20/1994
65	STS-68	Endeavour	SRL-2	9/30/1994	10/11/1994
66	STS-66	Atlantis	ATLAS-03	11/3/1994	11/14/1994
67	STS-63	Discovery	SpaceHab-3; Mir rendezvous	2/3/1995	2/11/1995
68	STS-67	Endeavour	ASTRO-2	3/2/1995	3/18/1995
69	STS-71	Atlantis	First shuttle-Mir docking	6/27/1995	7/7/1995
70	STS-70	Discovery	TDRS-G	7/13/1995	7/22/1995
71	STS-69	Endeavour	Spartan 201-03; WSF-2	9/7/1995	9/18/1995
72	STS-73	Columbia	USML-2	10/20/1995	11/5/1995
73	STS-74	Atlantis	Second shuttle-Mir docking	11/12/1995	11/20/1995
74	STS-72	Endeavour	Space Flyer Unit (SFU); Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology flyer (OAST-flyer)	1/11/1996	1/20/1996
75	STS-75	Columbia	TSS-1 reflight; USMP-3	2/22/1996	3/9/1996
76	STS-76	Atlantis	Third shuttle-Mir docking; SpaceHab	3/22/1996	3/31/1996
77	STS-77	Endeavour	SpaceHab; SPARTAN (inflatable antenna experiment)	5/19/1996	5/29/1996
78	STS-78	Columbia	Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS)	6/20/1996	7/7/1996
79	STS-79	Atlantis	Fourth shuttle-Mir docking	9/16/1996	9/26/1996
80	STS-80	Columbia	Orbiting and Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrograph-Shuttle Pallet Satellite II (ORFEUS-SPAS II)	11/19/1996	12/7/1996
81	STS-81	Atlantis	Fifth shuttle-Mir docking	1/12/1997	1/22/1997
82	STS-82	Discovery	Second HST servicing	2/11/1997	2/21/1997
83	STS-83	Columbia	MSL-1	4/4/1997	4/8/1997
84	STS-84	Atlantis	Sixth shuttle-Mir docking	5/15/1997	5/24/1997
85	STS-94	Columbia	MSL-1 reflight	7/1/1997	7/17/1997
86	STS-85	Discovery	Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere-Shuttle Pallet Satellite-2 (CRISTA-SPAS-2)	8/7/1997	8/19/1997
87	STS-86	Atlantis	Seventh shuttle-Mir docking	9/25/1997	10/6/1997
88	STS-87	Columbia	USMP-4, Spartan-201 rescue	11/19/1997	12/5/1997
89	STS-89	Endeavour	Eighth shuttle-Mir docking	1/22/1998	1/31/1998
90	STS-90	Columbia	Final spacelab mission	4/17/1998	5/3/1998
91	STS-91	Discovery	Ninth and final shuttle-Mir docking	6/2/1998	6/12/1998
92	STS-95	Discovery	John Glenn's Flight; SPACEHAB	10/29/1998	11/7/1998
93	STS-88	Endeavour	First ISS flight	12/4/1998	12/15/1998
94	STS-96	Discovery	1st ISS docking	5/27/1999	6/6/1999
95	STS-93	Columbia	Chandra X-Ray Observatory	7/22/1999	7/27/1999
96	STS-103	Discovery	HST repair—3A	12/19/1999	12/27/1999
97	STS-99	Endeavour	Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM)	2/11/2000	2/22/2000
98	STS-101	Atlantis	ISS assembly flight 2A.2a	5/19/2000	5/29/2000
99	STS-106	Atlantis	ISS assembly flight 2A.2b	9/8/2000	9/20/2000
100	STS-92	Discovery	ISS assembly flight 3A, Z1 truss and PMA 3	10/11/2000	10/24/2000
101	STS-97	Endeavour	ISS assembly flight 4A, P6 truss	11/30/2000	12/11/2000
102	STS-98	Atlantis	ISS assembly flight 5A, U.S. Destiny laboratory	2/7/2001	2/20/2001
103	STS-102	Discovery	ISS assembly flight 5A.1, crew exchange, Leonardo multi-purpose logistics module	3/8/2001	3/21/2001
104	STS-100	Endeavour	ISS assembly flight 6A, Canadarm2, Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module	4/19/2001	5/1/2001
105	STS-104	Atlantis	ISS assembly flight 7A, Quest airlock, high pressure gas assembly	7/12/2001	7/24/2001
106	STS-105	Discovery	ISS assembly flight 7A.1, crew exchange, Leonardo multi-purpose logistics module	8/10/2001	8/22/2001
107	STS-108	Endeavour	ISS flight UF-1, crew exchange, Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, STARSHINE 2	12/5/2001	12/17/2001
108	STS-109	Columbia	HST servicing mission 3B	3/1/2002	3/12/2002
109	STS-110	Atlantis	ISS flight 8A, S0 (s-zero) truss, mobile transporter	4/8/2002	4/19/2002
110	STS-111	Endeavour	ISS flight UF-2, crew exchange, mobile base system	6/5/2002	6/19/2002

TABLE 4.4 Space shuttle missions (CONTINUED) Adapted from Past Missions, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2004, http://spaceflight.NASA.gov/shuttle/archives (accessed December 28, 2005)

TABLE 4.4
Space shuttle missions (CONTINUED)
Flight order	STS* number	Orbiter name	Primary payload	Launch date	Landing date
*STS=Space Transportation System
Notes:
Acronyms: ATLAS	Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science
AUSSAT	Australian Satellite
DOD	Department of Defense
EURECA	European Retrievable Carrier
HST	Hubble Space Telescope
IML	International Microgravity Laboratory
ISS	International Space Station
LDEF	Long Duration Exposure Facility
MORELOS	Mexican Satellite
MSL	Microgravity Science Laboratory
OSTA	Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications
PALAPA	Indonesian Satellite
SBS	Satellite Business Systems
SRL	Space Radar Laboratory
SSBUV	Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet
SYNCOM	Synchronous Communication Satellite
TDRS	Tracking and Data Relay Satellite
TSS	Tethered Satellite System
USML	United States Microgravity Laboratory
USMP	U.S. Microgravity Payload
WSF	Wake Shield Facility
SOURCE: Adapted from Past Missions, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2004, http://spaceflight.NASA.gov/shuttle/archives (accessed December 28, 2005)
111	STS-112	Atlantis	ISS flight 9a, S1 (s-one) truss	10/7/2002	10/16/2002
112	STS-113	Endeavour	ISS flight 11a, P1 (p-one) truss	11/23/2002	12/7/2002
113	STS-107	Columbia	SpaceHab-DM research mission, Freestar module,	1/16/2003	Vehicle broke up during reentry 2/1/03
114	STS-114	Discovery	ISS assembly flight LF1, external stowage platform-2, Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module	7/26/2005	8/9/2005

Space shuttle difficulties affect other ongoing missions. NASA originally planned to send shuttle astronauts in 2006 to service the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The HST orbits in space about 350 miles above the Earth's surface. Scientists believe that it can last only until 2008 without servicing. Then it will lose its orbit and fall to Earth.

In January 2004 NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe announced that the planned HST servicing mission would be canceled due to safety concerns. The HST orbits far from the ISS. A shuttle sent to service the HST would not be able to make it to the ISS in an emergency.

NASA does not plan to launch HST's replacement (the James Webb Space Telescope) until 2011. Cancellation of the shuttle servicing mission will likely mean that the HST will fall out of orbit before the new telescope is in place. This would mean a gap of several years in which scientists would not have access to a space telescope. This caused an uproar in the scientific community and resulted in intense lobbying for NASA to reinstate the mission. In August 2005 a new NASA administrator, Mike Griffin, announced that the agency was reconsidering the HST servicing mission assuming that the return-to-flight missions are successful.

FIGURE 4.10 Number of shuttle flights per year, 1981–2005 Adapted from Past Missions, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2005, http://spaceflight.NASA.gov/shuttle/archives (accessed December 28, 2005)

FIGURE 4.11 Number of shuttle flights per Orbiter, as of February 2006 Adapted from Past Missions, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2005, http://spaceflight.NASA.gov/shuttle/archives (accessed December 28, 2005)