NASA Space Shuttle Summary Report
To support future space operations there is a critical need to reduce significantly the annual cost of routine round-trip space transportation operations, while greatly increasing the number of space flights.
A versatile space shuttle system that can transport effectively, a varying mix of personnel and cargo to low earth orbits and return, could be the keystone to the success and growth of future space flight developments for the exploration and beneficial uses of near and far space. The use of the space shuttle will provide a broad range of capability in space operations --- capability that would be directly applicable to almost anything the United States may want to do in space.
Related Space Shuttle Documents
A Compilation of Space Shuttle Sonic Boom Measurements
Sonic boom measurements have been obtained on 26 flights of the Space Shuttle system beginning with the launch of STS-1 on April 12, 1981, to the reentry-descent of STS-41 into EAFB on Oct. 10, 1990.
A high angle of attack inviscid shuttle orbiter computation
As a preliminary step toward predicting the leeside thermal environment for winged reentry vehicles at flight conditions, a computational solution for the flow about the Shuttle Orbiter at wind tunnel
A radiant heating test facility for space shuttle orbiter thermal protection system certification
A large scale radiant heating test facility was constructed so that thermal certification tests can be performed on the new generation of thermal protection systems developed for the space shuttle orb