NASA's Space Shuttle

NASA's Space Shuttle was a reusable spacecraft designed for missions to space, including transporting astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station. It consisted of three main parts: the Orbiter (like a spaceplane with wings for re-entry), the solid rocket boosters for lift-off, and the external fuel tank that supplied propellant to the main engines. Launched vertically, the Shuttle could return to Earth by gliding and landing on a runway, allowing it to be reused for multiple flights. It operated from 1981 to 2011, playing a key role in building and maintaining space labs and conducting scientific experiments.