space shuttle

noun

, (often initial capital letters)

1. any of several U.S. space vehicles consisting of a reusable manned orbiter that touches down on a landing strip after an orbital mission, two reusable solid rocket boosters that drop off after initial ascent, and an expendable external tank containing liquid propellants.

space shuttle

noun

1. any of a series of reusable US space vehicles ( Columbia (exploded 2003), Challenger (exploded 1986), Discovery , Atlantis , Endeavour ) that can be launched into earth orbit transporting astronauts and equipment for a period of observation, research, etc, before re-entry and an unpowered landing on a runway; the first operational flight occurred in 1981 and it was taken out of service in 2011

space shuttle

1. A vehicle built by NASA that is capable of taking off from Earth , carrying a crew and a cargo into space, and returning to Earth to be used again. It is used primarily to transport a crew to an orbiting space station and to deploy and retrieve satellites .

Notes

The space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff in 1986. All seven crew members died in the accident.

Word History and Origins

Origin of space shuttle¹

An Americanism dating back to 1965–70

Example Sentences

If that’s the perception, the inevitable accidents will be as traumatic as those of the space shuttle were.

From Nautilus

At the beginning of the space shuttle program, it envisioned offering seats to private citizens and started a “Spaceflight Participant” program.

From Washington Post

The rocket would be the most powerful ever, with four RS-25 engines used by the space shuttle and two side solid rocket motor boosters taller than the Statue of Liberty.

From Washington Post

That’s four times the capacity of the Falcon 9, three times the capacity of the space shuttle, and approaching twice the capacity of the Falcon Heavy—currently the world’s most powerful launch system.

From Popular-Science

Up in space, the crew members on board space shuttle Atlantis were sleeping.

From Ars Technica

Similar to the Space Shuttle in appearance, the diminutive X-37B is about a quarter the size of the old shuttles.

From The Daily Beast