After 30 years, and 135 missions, the storied career for NASA's shuttles is about to end. The programme began as an ambitious way to serve NASA's needs in space after the moon landings. A shuttle vehicle served military needs, commercial sector requirements, as well as NASA's missions in space. Designed to launch like a rocket, maneuver like a spacecraft and land like a plane, a shuttle could be serviced and back on the launch pad in a matter of months. First flown in April, 1981, the shuttle was promoted as the space truck to carry large payloads and set up a permanent link between Earth and outer space. Without the shuttle, there would be no Hubble space telescope for example, and some important early scientific experiments were conducted on board and in the payload bay. Commander-STS 2 Joe Engle said, "It's a great tool that we've had the privilege of using in the space programme for so many years. I think... I think we'll look back and we'll all agree that it probably is the finest workhorse that we have ever had for taking people and equipment and supplies into space, and returning them." Despite continued efforts at improving crew safety and reliability, two shuttles, Challenger and Columbia, and their crews, were lost during the 30 year history. Both were on scientific research missions when disaster struck. But the tragedies brought with them renewed public support for space exploration. When NASA set out to build a space station with 16 international partners ...
