The space shuttle was a reusable spacecraft developed by NASA as part of the Space Shuttle program. There were six operational space shuttles in total: Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, Endeavour, and Enterprise.
Columbia was the first space shuttle to be built and was also the first to fly into space. It made its inaugural flight on April 12, 1981 and completed a total of 28 missions before it was tragically destroyed during its return to Earth on February 1, 2003.
Challenger was the second space shuttle to be built and it made its first flight on April 4, 1983. It completed a total of 10 missions before it was destroyed during its tenth mission on January 28, 1986.
Discovery was the third space shuttle to be built and it made its first flight on August 30, 1984. It completed a total of 39 missions before it was retired on March 9, 2011.
Atlantis was the fourth space shuttle to be built and it made its first flight on October 3, 1985. It completed a total of 33 missions before it was retired on July 21, 2011.
Endeavour was the fifth space shuttle to be built and it made its first flight on May 7, 1992. It completed a total of 25 missions before it was retired on May 16, 2011.
Enterprise was the sixth and final space shuttle to be built, but it was only used for test flights and never flew into space. It was used to test the shuttle's approach and landing characteristics, as well as its thermal protection system. Enterprise was retired on December 17, 2003 and is now on display at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City.
The space shuttle program was a major achievement for NASA and it allowed for the construction of the International Space Station, as well as numerous scientific and military missions. The space shuttle was the first spacecraft to be reusable and it revolutionized space travel. Although the space shuttle program has now ended, it will always be remembered as a significant milestone in the history of space exploration.
