When the clock reaches zero, the countdown ends and the mission begins! First, the Space Shuttle’s main engines light. These engines are the three at the end of the Shuttle Orbiter. Next, the Solid Rocket Boosters fire. They are the two white rockets attached to the sides of the big orange External Tank. They provide the power needed to lift the Shuttle off the Earth. As they push gases downward at high speeds, the shuttle “reacts” by moving forward.
Seconds after the Solid Rocket Boosters light, the Shuttle has cleared the launch pad. Two minutes later, the Shuttle drops the boosters and they fall into the ocean. Special boats retrieve the boosters from the water to be used again. The Orbiter and the External Tank continue to fly higher! When the External Tank is empty, the Orbiter drops it, too. It breaks apart, and its pieces fall into the ocean. The engines cut off as the crew arrives in orbit. It only takes eight and a half minutes for the Shuttle to arrive in space. It will be traveling over 27,000 kilometers per hour (17,000 miles per hour.)
The Space Shuttle moves through a series of maneuvers to achieve orbit.
Image Credit: NASA
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