Orbital launch vehicle

Space Shuttle

RetiredReusableUnited States National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program name was Space Transportation System (STS). Five complete Space Shuttle orbiter vehicles were built and flown on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011.

Flights flown135

Success rate98.5%133/135

Payload to LEO27,500kg

Cost per kg to LEO$16,364$450M per launch

Maiden flight1981-04-12

Peak year19859 flights

Space Shuttle is built by National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States. Company background, funding, contracts and news for this operator are tracked on Space Index. It first flew on 12 April 1981 and last flew on 8 July 2011.

Flight record

135 records

98.5% success rate133 of 135 flown · 2 failed

1981peak 1985 · 9 flights2011

First flight1981-04-12

Latest flight2011-07-08

Failures2

Consecutive successes22

Fastest turnaround15d 18h

Payload

Per mission profile

Low Earth orbit	27,500kg
Launch cost	$450M
Cost per kg to LEO	$16,364

Vehicle

Stages	2
Length	56.1m
Diameter	8m
Launch mass	2030t
Liftoff thrust	28,200kN
Maiden flight	1981-04-12
Reusable	Yes

Pads used

2 pads

Launch Complex 39A84 Launch Complex 39B51

Orbits delivered

1 orbit

Low Earth Orbit135

Compare

Same payload class

vs Falcon 9 vs Long March 3B/E vs Proton-M Briz-M vs H-IIA vs Ariane 44L vs Ariane 64

Launch history

135 launches

Date	Mission	Pad	Orbit	Outcome
2011-07-08	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-135	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2011-05-16	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-134	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2011-02-24	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-133	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2010-05-14	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-132	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2010-04-05	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-131	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2010-02-08	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-130	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2009-11-16	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-129	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2009-08-29	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-128	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2009-07-15	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-127	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2009-05-11	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-125	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2009-03-15	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-119	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2008-11-15	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-126	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2008-05-31	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-124	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2008-03-11	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-123	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2008-02-07	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-122	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2007-10-23	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-120	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2007-08-08	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-118	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2007-06-08	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-117	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2006-12-10	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-116	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2006-09-09	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-115	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2006-07-04	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-121	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2005-07-26	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-114	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2003-01-16	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-107	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Failure
2002-11-24	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-113	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2002-10-07	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-112	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2002-06-05	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-111	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2002-04-08	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-110	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2002-03-01	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-109	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2001-12-05	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-108	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2001-08-10	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-105	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2001-07-12	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-104	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2001-04-19	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-100	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2001-03-08	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-102	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2001-02-07	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-98	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2000-12-01	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-97	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2000-10-11	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-92	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2000-09-08	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-106	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2000-05-19	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-101	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2000-02-11	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-99	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1999-12-20	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-103	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1999-07-23	Space Shuttle Columbia OV-102 \| STS-93	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1999-05-27	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-96	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1998-12-04	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-88	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1998-10-29	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-95	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1998-06-02	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-91	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1998-04-17	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-90	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1998-01-23	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-89	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1997-11-19	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-87	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1997-09-26	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-86	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1997-08-07	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-85	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1997-07-01	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-94	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1997-05-15	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-84	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1997-04-04	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-83	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1997-02-11	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-82	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1997-01-12	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-81	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1996-11-19	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-80	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1996-09-16	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-79	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1996-06-20	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-78	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1996-05-19	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-77	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1996-03-22	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-76	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1996-02-22	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-75	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1996-01-11	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-72	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1995-11-12	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-74	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1995-10-20	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-73	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1995-09-07	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-69	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1995-07-13	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-70	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1995-06-27	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-71	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1995-03-02	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-67	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1995-02-03	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-63	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1994-11-03	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-66	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1994-09-30	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-68	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1994-09-09	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-64	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1994-07-08	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-65	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1994-04-09	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-59	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1994-03-04	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-62	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1994-02-03	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-60	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1993-12-02	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-61	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1993-10-18	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-58	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1993-09-12	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-51	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1993-06-21	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-57	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1993-04-26	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-55	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1993-04-08	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-56	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1993-01-13	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-54	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1992-12-02	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-53	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1992-10-22	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-52	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1992-09-12	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-47	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1992-07-31	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-46	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1992-06-25	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-50	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1992-05-07	Space Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 \| STS-49	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1992-03-24	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-45	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1992-01-22	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-42	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1991-11-24	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-44	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1991-09-12	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-48	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1991-08-02	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-43	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1991-06-05	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-40	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1991-04-28	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-39	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1991-04-05	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-37	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1990-12-02	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-35	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1990-11-15	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-38	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1990-10-06	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-41	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1990-04-24	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-31 (Hubble)	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1990-02-28	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-36	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1990-01-09	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-32	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1989-11-23	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-33	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1989-10-18	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-34	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1989-08-08	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-28	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1989-05-04	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-30	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1989-03-13	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-29	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1988-12-02	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-27	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1988-09-29	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-26	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1986-01-28	Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099 \| STS-51-L	Launch Complex 39B	Low Earth Orbit	Failure
1986-01-12	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-61-C	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1985-11-27	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-61-B	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1985-10-30	Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099 \| STS-61-A	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1985-10-03	Space Shuttle Atlantis / OV-104 \| STS-51-J	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1985-08-27	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-51-I	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1985-07-29	Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099 \| STS-51-F	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1985-06-17	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-51-G	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1985-04-29	Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099 \| STS-51-B	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1985-04-12	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-51-D	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1985-01-24	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-51-C	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1984-11-08	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-51-A	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1984-10-05	Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099 \| STS-41-G	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1984-08-30	Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 \| STS-41-D	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1984-04-06	Space Shuttle Challenger OV-099 \| STS-41-C	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1984-02-03	Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099 \| STS-41-B	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1983-11-28	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-9	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1983-08-30	Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099 \| STS-8	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1983-06-18	Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099 \| STS-7	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1983-04-04	Space Shuttle Challenger / OV-099 \| STS-6	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1982-11-11	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-5	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1982-06-27	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-4	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1982-03-22	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-3	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1981-11-12	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-2	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1981-04-12	Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 \| STS-1	Launch Complex 39A	Low Earth Orbit	Success

Specifications from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs, launch records from Space Index. Derived figures are computed here; see sources and method.