March 15, 1978 
Space Shuttle 
PURPOSE: Placement and recovery of satellites and free-flying laboratories 
| Service and repair of satellites in space 
/ Rescue missions 
| ORBIT: Circular Altitude: 185 to 1110 km Mission duration: 7 to 30 days 
ELEMENTS: 
(9 Orbiter ("Enterprise"): Serves as habitable space vehicle or aircraft 
for team of 3-7 x ; 
Reusable after 2-week ground turnaround time 
.. Weight: 68,000 kg 
Dimensions: 37 m long; 17 m high; 24 m wingspan 
Cargo bay: 18 m long x 5 m diameter 
Capacity: 29,500 kg (285 cu m) 
3 main engines : 
External tank (ET): Expendable; contains ascent propellant 
2 solid rocket Reusable; separation at 45.6 km; 
boosters (SRB's): Recovered by parachute system 
Spacelab: Multipurpose payload carrier for experiments conducted in 
space to begin in 1981 
Being developed by 10 nations in European Space Agency (ESA) 
Pressurized module; unpressurized pallet segments 
Flown to and from orbit in cargo bay of Shuttle 
ORBITAL FLIGHT TESTS (OFT's): 
Expected launch Payload Altitude 
date Inclination (kg) (km) Days Crew 
é 4 #2 Earthviewing 7/79 32-40? 4550 165-275 to 5 2 
{ : * 
#3 Long Duration 9100 up 
Exposure (LDEF) 9/79 32-40? 4550 down 275 to 7 2 
#4 Astronomy 12/79 50-57? 10,000 415 to 7 2 
#5 Multi-Mission 
Spacecraft (MMS) 2/80 50-57? 10,000 415 7 3 or 4 
#6 Physics 3/80 to be 10,000 to 415 7 4 
determined 25,000 up 
10,600 dn 
REMARKS: An Interin Upper Stage (IUS) is being developed by the U. S. Air Force 
to boost satellites into higher orbits. 
DATA TRANSMITTAL: Tracking and data relay satellite system (TDRSS) after July 1980; 
NASA will retain ground station in Bermuda until TDRSS ís proven, and station in 
Alaska until Shuttle launches into polar orbit are possible. 
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Space Shuttle, NASA/JSC, Houston, Texas 
SP-407, 89 p. 
GPO stock no. 033-000-00651-9 
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