Which is the best Space Shuttle?

[ZooNamedGames]

It's time for yet again, another random NASA geek discussion about which is your favorite shuttle.... Is it Enterprise? Columbia? Challenger? Discovery? Atlantis? Or Endeavor?

Enterprise was the first shuttle ever made... Granted it never made it to space, it did however, perform the approach and landing tests (ALTs).... Which gave birth to the space shuttle era.

Columbia was the second shuttle made, and the first space capable shuttle. Enterprise lacked many thing that would make it unsuitable, some such as design changes. Columbia was the first and had a lot of close calls... Such as landing in the desert and having to be shipped back by 747, assembled by a construction company... However we lost her in 2003 due to a reentry accident caused by a foam strike in the left wing....

I don't know as much of challenger as the rest... Same for Endeavor and Atlantis... Any info would be nice as I want to learn of these awesome machines. What I do know is, that we lost Challenger due to the famous, O-ring failure, on the left(?) SRB. Causing an explosion of the external tank, and the disintegration of the Orbiter. Sadly to note, the crew survived the explosion, and we're killed by the impact in the ocean.

Discovery is heralded as the queen of the fleet. Flying further and being part of several key missions during the space shuttle era.

American STS Space Shuttle topics please

So, which is your favorite, and why?

As always, don't get rude. Enjoy the conversation and bring something interesting to the topic .

Edited July 10, 2014 by ZooNamedGames

[cantab]

Buran

10char

[Mitchz95]

I find it sad that Challenger is best known for her destruction when she was actually NASA's workhorse during her operational history. Even when Discovery and Atlantis joined the fleet, Challenger flew three missions a year from 1983 to 85. I often name my KSP flagships after her.

[General Rarity]

Challenger, because, well, it feels like a great name for a entirely new class of spacecraft. Also, she has a 'cousin' on the rails as well. Was sad to see her disassemble (unplanned), though. Never named anything in KSP after a shuttle, it felt disrespectful to me.

[ZooNamedGames]

Buran

10char

Is sadly not a SPACE shuttle. That's a Russian shuttle. A Energia.

[ZooNamedGames]

I find it sad that Challenger is best known for her destruction when she was actually NASA's workhorse during her operational history. Even when Discovery and Atlantis joined the fleet, Challenger flew three missions a year from 1983 to 85. I often name my KSP flagships after her.

True. And I have interest in these areas. I prefer Enterprise for other reasons. Because if she had a serious problem... It could have delayed the shuttle program and if in the worst case, killed the program entirely.

[ZooNamedGames]

Challenger, because, well, it feels like a great name for a entirely new class of spacecraft. Also, she has a 'cousin' on the rails as well. Was sad to see her disassemble (unplanned), though. Never named anything in KSP after a shuttle, it felt disrespectful to me.

The disrespect is to owner opinion... Mine says in the right taste, it can be. It's the spirit and the purpose in the mind that shapes the message your trying to convey. Some cultures may say that such horrible things will be attacks by the gods, and therefore off topic..... Topics.

[Canopus]

Is sadly not a SPACE shuttle. That's a Russian shuttle. A Energia.

The Buran is as much a Space Shuttle as the Challenger.

[Nibb31]

Buran was a space shuttle, not a Space Shuttle. The official name of what people call the US Space Shuttle was actually Space Transportation System. Columbia, Challenger, etc were not space shuttles, they were orbiters (or Orbiter Vehicles). The Space Shuttle was made up of an OV, an ET, and two SRBs.

As for which orbiter was "best", define "best".

If it's in terms of payload capability, Endeavor (OV-105) could carry the most (or go higher) because her lighter construction benefited from the experience from the other orbiters.

Columbia (OV-102) was the heaviest because she had additional instrumentation for the test flights and structural reinforcements for the ejection seat hatches. Also Columbia was never fitted with the APAS docking module, so she couldn't be used for ISS missions.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Nibb31

[Sky_walker]

Buran was a space shuttle, not a Space Shuttle.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Sky_walker

[Nibb31]

If you want to be so exact: they were spaceplanes. Orbiter is any space craft that orbits a planet - that includes things like Soyuz, Shenzhou or IXV.

Orbiter Vehicle is the proper nomenclature used by NASA. They were known as OV-102, OV-099, OV-0103, OV-104, and OV-105. NASA hardly ever referred to them as spaceplanes.

I've never seen Soyuz or Shenzhou referred to as orbiters, but as spacecraft. As for IXV, I don't see why you would want to call in an orbiter as it isn't going to orbit.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Nibb31

[Sky_walker]

Orbiter Vehicle is the proper nomenclature used by NASA.

It's "Space Shuttle Orbiter Vehicle".

"Orbiter Vehicle" is just a short cut, more common one being "Space Shuttle orbiter" (without "Vehicle" part).

I've never seen Soyuz or Shenzhou referred to as orbiters, but as spacecraft.

Technically they are also an orbiters.

Orbiter == spacecraft that orbits.

As for IXV, I don't see why you would want to call in an orbiter as it isn't going to orbit.

Yes, it is. In October.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Sky_walker

[Kryten]

Yes, it is. In October.

[Sky_walker]

Wikipedia is wrong again >_>

Remind me to double-check next time

[Nibb31]

It's "Space Shuttle Orbiter Vehicle".

"Orbiter Vehicle" is just a short cut, more common one being "Space Shuttle orbiter" (without "Vehicle" part).

[ZooNamedGames]

I know that the STS space shuttles were known as the STS program, and that the shuttles where the orbiters and so on.... I'm not a fool, and besides, this is American only. If you like the Buran Energia then fine, but this is not about them. This is about America.

[Nibb31]

Alright, so how do you define "best" ?

[ZooNamedGames]

Alright, so how do you define "best" ?

Personal favorite. It may not have to be the historical or the engineering best, but maybe the name had always been your favorite. Choose! , just not Buran.

[Rakaydos]

Favorate American Orbiter?

[Mr Shifty]

I've always had a soft spot for Atlantis, more for what might have been, rather than for what it did. In the wake of the Columbia accident, the Columbia Accident Review Board determined that a rescue mission might have been able to be spun up, with Atlantis being the rescue vessel. User wolf on the Orbiter forums designed a scenario that lets you fly the proposed rescue. It's a pretty cool scenario, with an included full manual, checklists, and press package that detail how NASA could have accomplished the mission, and how you can do it with Orbiter.

[ZooNamedGames]

Favorate American Orbiter?

http://37.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ld1ahqoYGi1qapojio1_500.jpg

*faceplam*. I ask for the STS shuttles, and I get every shuttle BUT those... I give up.

[ZooNamedGames]

I've always had a soft spot for Atlantis, more for what might have been, rather than for what it did. In the wake of the Columbia accident, the Columbia Accident Review Board determined that a rescue mission might have been able to be spun up, with Atlantis being the rescue vessel. User wolf on the Orbiter forums designed a scenario that lets you fly the proposed rescue. It's a pretty cool scenario, with an included full manual, checklists, and press package that detail how NASA could have accomplished the mission, and how you can do it with Orbiter.

Cool. I'll try that out .

[rhoark]

Endeavor - it had upgrades later retrofitted to the rest of the fleet. It performed the first Hubble servicing mission, and delivered the first US ISS module.

[Pursuedtank]

You know I really did like Endeavour, but as that doesn't seem to be an option I will have to go with Atlantis.

[ZooNamedGames]

You know I really did like Endeavour, but as that doesn't seem to be an option I will have to go with Atlantis.

I forgot the U in Endeavour? I KNEW IT WAS WRONG. DANG IT. I stared at the word for like 5 minutes knowing something was wrong. It was the U. Dang it.

- - - Updated - - -

Endeavor - it had upgrades later retrofitted to the rest of the fleet. It performed the first Hubble servicing mission, and delivered the first US ISS module.

Indeed . Good reasons.