Why did NASA discontinue the space shuttle program in 2011?
“The bottom line answer is that it was too expensive. Way too expensive,” former NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory system engineer Mark Adler wrote in 2015. “The shuttle never met its promise for low-cost access to space by virtue of the system’s reusability.”
What happened to the 747 that carries the space shuttle?
NASA eventually withdrew N905NA from use in 2013, a year after the final shuttle-carrying flights. The following year, it was dismantled and then transported to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas for preservation.
What happened to the space shuttle in 2011?
The final shuttle mission was completed with the landing of Atlantis on July 21, 2011, closing the 30-year Space Shuttle program.
What happened to the Boeing starliner?
Problems with the capsule’s propulsion system require more troubleshooting, a setback for a program to carry NASA astronauts to the space station. Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has been recalled to the factory because of sticky valves.
Can a 747 fly into space?
The bottom line is that airplanes can’t fly in space because there is no air in space. Airplanes rely on air to produce both lift and propulsion. Since there isn’t any air in space, airplanes must stay within the Earth’s atmosphere.
Is Starliner Cancelled?
Boeing says its next attempt to send an uncrewed Starliner space taxi to the International Space Station will take place no earlier than the first half of 2022, due to the time needed to fix a valve problem that led to the last-minute cancellation of an August test flight.
How much did NASA pay Boeing for Starliner?
Boeing was awarded a US$92.3 million contract by NASA in April 2011 to continue to develop the CST-100 under CCDev phase 2.
How is the Boeing X-37 similar to the Space Shuttle?
The aerodynamic design of the X-37 was derived from the larger Space Shuttle orbiter, hence the X-37 has a similar lift-to-drag ratio, and a lower cross range at higher altitudes and Mach numbers compared to DARPA’s Hypersonic Technology Vehicle.
When was the Boeing X-37 transferred to DARPA?
The X-37 was originally designed to be carried into orbit in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle, but underwent redesign for launch on a Delta IV or comparable rocket after it was determined that a shuttle flight would be uneconomical. The X-37 was transferred from NASA to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on 13 September 2004.
How much money was spent on the Boeing X-37?
In 1999, NASA selected Boeing Integrated Defense Systems to design and develop an orbital vehicle, built by the California branch of Boeing’s Phantom Works. Over a four-year period, a total of US$192 million was spent on the project, with NASA contributing $109 million, the U.S. Air Force $16 million, and Boeing $67 million.
When did the X-37 spaceplane come back to Earth?
The spaceplane’s first mission, USA-212, was launched in April 2010 and returned to Earth in December 2010. A second X-37 was launched on mission USA-226 in March 2011 and returned in June 2012.