ANSWER KEY: Birth of the Space Shuttle

Directions: 
After reading Birth of the Space Shuttle, answer each question below. Be sure to answer in complete sentences and summarize using your own words. 

1.	Why did NASA believe the creation of a reusable launch vehicle was so important?
To lower total launch cost and speed up processing and turnaround time to allow the vehicle to be launched again.
2.	What was the project cost of the first reusable spacecraft designed in 1971?
$10.5 billion
3.	Based on a new design, the projected cost was roughly $5 billion dollars less than the 1971 estimates. What made this design so extraordinary?
The vehicle would be launched like a rocket, maneuver like a spacecraft, land like an airplane, and be able to be reused again and again.
4.	What parts of this new design were to be reused, and what parts were expendable (not designed to be used again)?
SRBs and orbiter
ET
5.	What did Congress call the project to create a new reusable launch vehicle?
Space Transport System or STS
6.	What year did the first orbiter come out of assembly, and what was its name?
1976
Enterprise
7.	Name the one major system not tested in Enterprise.
Space Shuttle main engines (SSMEs)
8.	Why is the date April 12, 1981, important to NASA?
Columbia became the first reusable launch vehicle to be launched into space.

Exploring Further
1.	The Space Shuttle Columbia had a 15’ X 60’ cargo bay. What was the cargo bay’s area?
900 sq. ft.
2.	STS1 launched April 12, 1981, at 7:00:03 a.m. EST. Its duration was 2 days, 6 hours, 20 minutes, and 53 seconds. When did it land (date, hour, seconds, and a.m. or p.m.)? Show your work.
April 14, 1981 at 1:20:56 p.m.
3.	On the back of this sheet, draw a timeline based on the important dates mentioned in this article.