Pioneers of Spaceflight: The Collection of Rob Sumowski
Space Transportation System (Space Shuttle)
The Space Shuttle was a partially reusable low-Earth orbit spacecraft operated by NASA from 1981-2011. Its official program name was Space Transportation System, taken from a 1969 plan in which it was the only item funded for development. The first of four orbital test flights occurred in 1981, leading to operational flights beginning in 1982. Shuttles were used on a total of 135 missions launched from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. The crew of Shuttle Challenger was lost during a explosion following its launch on 28 January 1986 and the crew of Shuttle Columbia was lost during re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere on 1 February 2003.
Shuttle signed by members of pre-Challenger crews
Shuttle signed by members of pre-Challenger crews
Shuttle signed by members of pre-Challenger crews
Shuttle signed by members of pre-Challenger crews
Shuttle signed by members of pre-Challenger crews
Space shuttle model, mahogany, signed by Bob Crippen, STS-1
STS-6 Flown page from the personal collection of Paul Weitz
STS 8 Flown cover
Shuttle signed by Hank Hartsfield
Shuttle signed by Hank Hartsfield
Shuttle signed by Hank Hartsfield
Shuttle signed by Hank Hartsfield
STS 51-L Challenger disaster
STS 51-L Challenger disaster
STS 51-L Challenger disaster
STS 41-B signed by Bruce McCandless
STS 41-B signed by Bruce McCandless
STS 41-B signed by Bruce McCandless
STS 41-B signed by Bruce McCandless
Shuttle signed by John Glenn
Jerry Ross, Seven shuttle flights
Jerry Ross, Seven shuttle flights
Jerry Ross, Seven shuttle flights
Jerry Ross, Seven shuttle flights
Eileen Collins, First female shuttle commander
Eileen Collins, First female shuttle commander
Eileen Collins, First female shuttle commander
Eileen Collins, First female shuttle commander
Eileen Collins, First female shuttle commander
Eileen Collins, First female shuttle commander
Eileen Collins, First female shuttle commander