Space Shuttle

The Space Shuttle was to have been the workhorse of the US space programme, flying over fifty times a year, with 26 launches from two pads at KSC and 26 launches from Complex 6 at Vandenberg AFB in California. It would provide a platform for astronomical research, Earth observation, materials processing, medicine and other applications, leading to a US space station. But it soon became obvious that the Shuttle was not going to be able to meet this objective and its actual launch rates were much less. Additional volume was made available for the crew by flying the Spacelab science laboratory (introduced in 1983), and a mid-deck augmentation module called SpaceHab (from 1993), initially offering commercial locker space and, for space station missions, additional logistics storage facilities. The Shuttle programme has been a great success, especially in terms of space repair and the assembly of the International Space Station, but many missions were under-utilised. Two missions ended with the loss of the vehicle and the deaths of 14 crew. The Shuttle will be retired in 2010, or earlier if there is another accident. Conversely, its career may have to be extended if the final assembly of the International Space Station falls behind schedule.

Military manned space flight

The USA planned the military DynaSoar space plane in the early 1960s and the Manned Orbital Laboratory later in the decade. Neither materialised. However, there have been ten classified military Shuttle missions, including the deployment of reconnaissance satellites. The Soviet Union flew two military Almaz space station missions, aboard Salyut 2 and 3 in 1973-74. The Russian Buran space shuttle was slated to conduct a series of military missions, but the programme collapsed after just one unmanned launch.