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Overview
The space shuttle system is made up of three main components: •The two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs), which provide 80 percent of launch thrust.
•The huge rust-colored External Tank (ET), which feeds fuel to three Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs) during launch
•The orbiter itself, which serves as the crew's home in space and is equipped to dock with the International Space Station.
NASA has made many safety improvements to the shuttle system, including redesigning and refitting the External Tank to reduce the risk of foam and ice hitting the orbiter during liftoff.
In-Depth Explanations and Schematics:
Orbiter | External Tank | Solid Rocket Boosters | Main Engines
+ Video Gallery: How Things Work
The Orbiters:
Atlantis | Challenger | Columbia | Discovery | Endeavour
Return to Flight Improvements:
+ Part I | + Part II
Learn more about technical, communications and processing improvements, efforts to recognize and eliminate debris sources, and identifying and repairing damage in flight in this excerpt (4.8 Mb PDF) from the STS-114 Press Kit (8.9 Mb PDF).
Space Shuttle Features
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Shuttle Basics
The world's first reusable spacecraft launches like a rocket, maneuvers in Earth orbit like a spacecraft and lands like an airplane.
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The Orbiter
From crew module to flight deck, middeck to payload bay -- explore the crew's home in orbit.
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Space Shuttle Main Engines
The three Space Shuttle Main Engines, in conjunction with the Solid Rocket Boosters, provide the thrust to lift the Orbiter off the ground for the initial ascent.
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The External Tank
The 'gas tank' for the orbiter feeds the Shuttle's main engines and is the only component of the system that is not reused.
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Solid Rocket Boosters
The solid rocket motor is the largest solid propellant motor ever developed for space flight and the first built to be used on a manned craft.
Related Multimedia
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How Things Work: SRB Retrieval
Learn how NASA retrieves spent Solid Rocket Boosters after splashdown.
› View This Video -
How Things Work: Payloads
How are payloads installed on the Shuttle?
› View This Video -
How Things Work: External Fuel Tank
The External Tank is actually two tanks in one.
› View This Video -
How Things Work: Thermal Protection System
How does the Space Shuttle keep its cool?
› View This Video -
Keeping Engines Healthy
Susan Johnson explains the work life of a Space Shuttle Main Engine safety manager.
› View This Video -
A Preflight Test
The STS-114 crew takes part in the Crew Equipment Interface Test.
› View This Video -
Working on the Boom
Technician Todd Dugan is part of the team preparing the brand new Orbiter Boom Sensor System.
› View This Video -
From Sea to Space
Preparing the massive orange External Tank for a Space Shuttle flight is a heavy task.
› View This Video -
Trying on New Shoes
A gigantic Crawler Transporter recently went on a test drive to try out its brand new set of treads.
› View This Video
 "One of the SRB retrieval ships tows a spent booster.")
 "Space Shuttle's payload bay")
 "External fuel tank")
 "Space Shuttle thermal protection tile")
 "Susan Johnson, Space Shuttle Main Engine safety manager")
 "Astronaut Soichi Noguchi during prelaunch test")
 "Todd Dugan at work on the Orbiter Boom Sensor System")
 "An External Tank enters the Vehicle Assembly Building")
 "Crawler Transporter test drive")