Name: REV04733 SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS
Brand: Revell
Price: 40.62 EUR
Availability: OutOfStock

The space shuttle developed by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, is the only reusable space transport system in the world. It consists of the following components: the space shuttle (orbiter), with three reusable main engines, an external fuel tank and two solid fuel rockets with a lift-off thrust of 12.46 MN (1.270.566 kp). The space shuttle can take a payload of 24.5 tonnes and 7 astronauts simultaneously into a low earth orbit at an altitude between 200 and 650 km. In addition the shuttle is capable of docking with the ISS with the aid of docking adapters. Since the last Apollo flight in 1975, the Shuttle is the only possibility available to the USA of taking men into space using their own means. The first space shuttle launch into space took place on 12th April 1981 with the "Columbia". When further orbiters were completed after 1983, NASA considerably intensified their scientific experiments and strategic military activities together with the US Air Force. Communications and research satellites were transported into space, repairs were carried out in situ and the International Space Station, ISS, was built up and provisioned. The "Challenger" was launched into space for the first time on 4th April 1983. The "Discovery" followed on 30th August 1984. Since 3rd October 1985, the fourth space shuttle "Atlantis" has been used on 26 missions. The "Endeavour" was first launched on 7th May 1992. This shuttle was equipped with numerous new pieces of equipment and computers and therefore had much higher overall capacity. All other orbiters were gradually equipped with the new components. The orbiters can remain in space for a maximum of 28 days. The enormous structural and thermal loads on take-off and landing require continuous monitoring and maintenance of all components as well as improvements to the equipment. The heat shield on the front and under side of the space shuttle is particularly vulnerable and is inspected and repaired as necessary after each mission. In two tragic accidents in which the whole crews lost their lives, in 1986 the "Challenger" and in 2003 the "Columbia" were lost. After a two-year interruption and extensive modifications to the orbiters and the main tank, flights were resumed. Their most important successes include the launch of various space probes and the Hubble space telescope, the Magellan (Venus) and Galileo (Jupiter) probes, various flights with built-in laboratories, flights to the Russian Mir station and the International Space Station (ISS). The last space shuttle flight is scheduled for 2010. A new study by NASA indicates that consideration should be given to extending the space shuttle missions until 2015.

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