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The Space Store dedicates this page to all of those who participated in any way to the Space Shuttle Program. The scientists, engineers, astronauts, support personnel, families, and even the fans of the amazing and storied program that began before the first launch, and onto the final launch and landing. We also remember and acknowledge our never ending and heartfelt loss of the crews of the Challenger and Columbia.

Since 1981, NASA space shuttles have been rocketing from the Florida coast into Earth orbit. The five space shuttle orbiters — Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour — have flown more than 130 times, carrying over 350 people into space and travelling more than half a billion miles, more than enough to reach Jupiter. Designed to return to Earth and land like a giant glider, the shuttle was the world's first reusable space vehicle. More than all of that, though, the shuttle program expanded the limits of human achievement and broadened our understanding of our world.

For an entire generation, the space shuttle was NASA. We've watched a parade of firsts -- Sally Ride, Guy Bluford, Kathy Sullivan, John Glenn and others. We've seen astronauts float free, and launch and repair spacecraft like Hubble which have fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe.

The Space Store has dedicated a page to the history of the Space Shuttles. You can view it here. We plan on adding an active blog as well.