The Space Shuttle was a partially reusable spacecraft operated by NASA from 1981 until 2011.
The main part of the Space Shuttle was the orbiter: the reusable spaceplane that actually transported crew and cargo into space. Launched vertically with the aid of a rocket, the orbiter would subsequently land like a conventional airplane upon return. Six orbiters (five operational) were built between 1974 and 1991, and would fly a total of 135 missions over a 30 year period, during which it played a crucial role in the construction of the International Space Station.
After their retirement, all but two (Challenger & Columbia) of the orbiters were preserved and are currently on display at museums in the United States.
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