103 Space Shuttle Orbiter Image: PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search}

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA and Sierra Nevada Space Systems (SNSS) of Sparks, Nev., sign a Space Act Agreement that will offer the company technical capabilities from Kennedy Space Center's uniquely skilled work force. Sitting, from left, are Kennedy Public Affairs Director Lisa Malone; NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden; Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana; and Mark Sirangelo, head of Sierra Nevada. Standing, from left, are Frank DiBello, president of Space Florida; Joyce Riquelme, manager of Kennedy's Center Planning and Development Office; John Curry, director of Sierra Nevada's Systems Integration, Test and Operations; Kennedy Deputy Director Janet Petro; Jim Voss, vice president of Sierra Nevada's Space Exploration Systems; and Merri Sanchez, senior director of Sierra Nevada's Space Exploration Systems. Kennedy will help Sierra Nevada with the ground operations support of its lifting body reusable spacecraft called "Dream Chaser," which resembles a smaller version of the space shuttle orbiter. The spacecraft would carry as many as seven astronauts to the space station. Through the new agreement, Kennedy's work force will use its experience of processing the shuttle fleet for 30 years to help Sierra Nevada define and execute Dream Chaser's launch preparations and post-landing activities. In 2010 and 2011, Sierra Nevada was awarded grants as part of the initiative to stimulate the private sector in developing and demonstrating human spaceflight capabilities for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The goal of the program, which is based in Florida at Kennedy, is to facilitate the development of a U.S. commercial crew space transportation capability by achieving safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and from the space station and future low Earth orbit destinations. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann KSC-2011-5116

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA and Sierra Nevada Space Systems (SNSS) of Sparks, Nev., sign a Space Act Agreement that will offer the company technical capabilities from Kennedy Space Center's uniquely skilled wo More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - This bird's-eye view of a high bay in the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) shows the open payload bay of Space Shuttle Discovery surrounded by the standard platforms and equipment required to process a Space Shuttle orbiter. The high bay is 197 feet (60 meters) long, 150 feet (46 meters) wide, 95 feet (29 meters) high, and encompasses a 29,000-square-foot (2,694-meter) area. The 30-ton (27-metric-ton) bridge crane (yellow device, right) has a hook height of approximately 66 feet (20 meters). Platforms, a main access bridge, and two rolling bridges with trucks provide access to various parts of the orbiter. In addition to routine servicing and checkout, the inspections and modifications made to enhance Discovery's performance and upgrade its systems were performed in the OPF during its recently completed Orbiter Major Modification (OMM) period.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - This bird's-eye view of a high bay in the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) shows the open payload bay of Space Shuttle Discovery surrounded by the standard platforms and equipment More

Early Program Development. NASA public domain image colelction.

This 1969 artist's concept illustrates the use of three major elements of NASA's Integrated program, as proposed by President Nixon's Space Task Group. In Phases I and II, a Space Tug with a manipulator-equippe More

Shuttle and 747 in the Mate-Demate Device (MDD)

The original database describes this as: Location: Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California Photographs, Textual Material and a Video Recording Relating to the Space Shuttle Mate-Demat More

This diagram illustrates the Space Shuttle mission sequence. The Space Shuttle was approved as a national program in 1972 and developed through the 1970s. Part spacecraft and part aircraft, the Space Shuttle orbiter, the brain and the heart of the Space Transportation System (STS), required several technological advances, including thousands of insulating tiles able to stand the heat of reentry over the course of many missions, as well as sophisticated engines that could be used again and again without being thrown away. The airplane-like orbiter has three main engines, that burn liquid hydrogen and oxygen stored in the large external tank, the single largest structure in the Shuttle. Attached to the tank are two solid rocket boosters that provide the vehecile with most of the thrust needed for liftoff. Two minutes into the flight, the spent solids drop into the ocean to be recovered and refurbished for reuse, while the orbiter engines continue burning until approximately 8 minutes into the flight. After the mission is completed, the orbiter lands on a runway like an airplane. n/a

This diagram illustrates the Space Shuttle mission sequence. The Space Shuttle was approved as a national program in 1972 and developed through the 1970s. Part spacecraft and part aircraft, the Space Shuttle or More

Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 model installation in the NASA Ames 40x80ft Subsonic Wind Tunnel. Test-462 ARC-1975-AC75-2584

Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 model installation in the NASA Ames 40x80ft Subsonic Wind Tunnel. Test-462

Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 model installation in the 40x80ft W.T. Test 462 ARC-1975-AC75-2582

Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 model installation in the 40x80ft W.T. Test 462

Artist: Rick Guidice NASA artwork of Space Shuttle Orbiter during re-entry showing Reusable Surface Insulation Tiles. (Text overlay) ARC-1976-AC76-1713

Artist: Rick Guidice NASA artwork of Space Shuttle Orbiter during re-entry showing Reusable Surface Insulation Tiles. (Text overlay)

The First Space Shuttle External Tank

The first Space Shuttle External Tank (ET), the Main Propulsion Test Article (MPTA), rolls off the assembly line on September 9, 1977 at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. The MPTA was then tr More

Orbiter "Enterprise" soars above the NASA 747 carrier

S77-27945 (12 Aug 1977) --- The space shuttle Orbiter 101 "Enterprise" soars above the NASA 747 carrier aircraft after separating during the first free flight of the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALTs) co More

Frank Urbaniak, an ARO Inc. engineer examines a model of a space shuttle orbiter and launch vehicle in a wind tunnel at the Arnold Engineering Development Center

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Arnold Air Force Station State: Tennessee (TN) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: Phil Taruer Release Status: Releas More

Captain (CPT) William Tuck Jr., left, an Air Force test director, and Frank Urbaniak, an ARO Inc. engineer, examine a model of a space shuttle orbiter and launch vehicle prior to a transonic wind tunnel at the Arnold Engineering Development Center

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Arnold Air Force Station State: Tennessee (TN) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: Phil Taruer Release Status: Releas More

ASTRONAUTS HAISE AND FULLERTON - COCKPIT - ORBITER 101 - PREFLIGHT FREE FLIGHT - DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER (DFRC), CA

Astronauts Fred W. Haise, Jr., Commander, left, and C. Gordon Fullerton in the cockpit of the Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 "Enterprise" prior to the fifth and final FF in the Approach and Landing Test (ALT) series More

View of astronaut candidates Brandenstein and Hauck behind model

View of astronaut candidates Daniel C. Brandenstein and Frederick H. Hauck, posed behind model of the Space shuttle orbiter.

Space Shuttle Orbiter - 101 Enterprise - Arrival - Redstone Arsenal Airstrip - Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), AL

S78-27238 (13 March 1978) --- The space shuttle orbiter 101 Enterprise approaches riding atop its 747 carrier aircraft, arrives at the Redstone Arsenal airstrip near Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Huntsvi More

Simulations - Mission Control Center (MCC) - STS-1 - JSC

S79-30442 (29 March 1979) --- Granvil A. (Al) Pennington studies the monitor on his console – the instrumentation/communications officer (INCO) position – during simulations in the mission operations control ro More

NASA Orbiter 102 - Kelly AFB -, Dryden flight research center

S79-30103 (23 March 1978) --- A side view of the huge space shuttle orbiter 102 Columbia mated atop its 747 carrier aircraft--NASA 905?in ?piggyback? mode, ready for takeoff from Kelly Air Force Base. Kelly AFB More

Enterprise - Rollout - Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) - KSC

S79-31980 (1 May 1979) --- Space shuttle orbiter 101 Enterprise makes its first appearance mated to supportive propellant containers/boosters cluster, as it is slowly rolled out the front door of the huge Vehic More

Space Shuttle Columbia, Portraits - STS-1

S79-31775 (29 April 1979) --- These two astronauts are the prime crewmen for the first flight in the Space Transportation System (STS-1) program. Astronauts John W. Young, left, commander, and Robert L. Crippen More

An aerial view of Space Launch Complex 39-A. A space shuttle orbiter and its booster rockets are in place on the pad

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Kennedy Space Center State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: Unknown Release Status: Released to Publ More

A dummy space shuttle orbiter was assembled and rolled out to the launch site as part of an exercise to verify that shuttle elements are compatible with the spaceport's assembly and launch facilities, and ground support equipment

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Kennedy Space Center State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: Unknown Release Status: Released to Publ More

Orbiter (OV)-101- Shuttle (Transfer) - KSC

S79-35236 (23 July 1979) --- The space shuttle orbiter 101 Enterprise is seen in this high angle view as it is being moved from Pad A, Launch Complex 39 at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to the Vehicle Assembly More

History of Hubble Space Telescope (HST)

This artist's concept depicts the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) being raised to a vertical position in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle orbiter. The HST is the product of a partnership between NASA, European S More

History of Hubble Space Telescope (HST)

This artist's concept depicts the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) being positioned for release from the Space Shuttle orbiter by the Remote Manipulator System (RMS). The HST is the product of a partnership between More

Space Shuttle Orbiter 102 Columbia is shown backing out of its manufacturing facililty at Palmdale, CA, the Rockwell international Space Division Plant, enroute to Dryden Flgiht Research Center. This Orbiter will be the first shuttle spacecraft that will carry two astronauts, John Young and Richard Crippen, into earth orbital test flight in late 1979. ARC-1980-AC80-0107-10

Space Shuttle Orbiter 102 Columbia is shown backing out of its manufacturing facililty at Palmdale, CA, the Rockwell international Space Division Plant, enroute to Dryden Flgiht Research Center. This Orbiter w More

A scale model of a space shuttle orbiter lifting frame

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Vandenberg Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: Unknown Release Status: Released More