The Space Shuttle Direct

: The first shuttle to fly into space in 1981; tragically lost during re-entry in 2003.

The Shuttle system consisted of three primary components that worked together for launch: The Space Shuttle

Five flight-worthy orbiters were constructed for the program: : The first shuttle to fly into space

: Known for carrying the first American woman and African American into space; destroyed 73 seconds after liftoff in 1986. The Space Shuttle

40 Years Ago: Space Shuttle Enterprise rolls to the Pad - NASA