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Designed by NASA to be the workhorses of its space program the Space Transportation System, was a great leap forward in spacecraft design and an invaluable tool in furthering the understanding of the universe. Unlike expendable launch vehicles, the shuttles were designed for repeated use, carrying astronauts and payloads in orbit or to and from the International Space Station. The Space Shuttles will be retired from service in 2011, after 30 years of service and 135 missions. Learn more about the history, components and missions of the system as well as each of the shuttles in this book.

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