A space shuttle lifts off high above the surrounding land in this Aug. 1, 1973, illustration. With 135 missions flown over 30 years, NASA’s shuttle fleet achieved numerous firsts and opened space up to more people than ever before.
Each space shuttle consisted of three major components: the orbiter, which housed the crew, a large external tank that held fuel for the main engines, and two solid rocket boosters that provided most of the shuttle’s lift during the first two minutes of flight. All the components were reused except for the external fuel tank, which burned up in the atmosphere after each launch. The space shuttle was the world’s first reusable spacecraft.
Check out the NASA+ playlist, “The Shuttle Era.”
Image credit: NASA