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1995-04-04
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The space shuttle Endeavour is the last addition to America's shuttle fleet, and was first
launched in May, 1992. Endeavour has seen the least amount of service among the shuttle
orbiters, simply because it is so new. With the current design of the shuttle orbiter and
launch system so antiquated, it is unlikely that NASA will spend any more money to build
additional vehicles.
The most significant mission flown by Endeavour was STS-61 carried out in December,
1993. The purpose of this mission was to service the Hubble Space Telescope, as well as
install new optical systems to correct technical problems with the telescope. Astronauts
Kathy Thornton and Story Musgrave successfully installed the new Wide Field/Planetary
Camera-2 onto Hubble, and replaced a damaged solar array.
Mission STS-61 was a total success, and the Hubble Space Telescope now functions well
beyond its original design specifications. The delicate tasks that the astronauts had to
carry out on Hubble, including working with small screws and bolts, demonstrated beyond
a doubt that intricate work could be performed in orbit.
Most recently, the shuttle Endeavour flew around the Russian space station Mir in March,
1995. This was in preparation for an actual docking to occur between an American space
shuttle and the Russian space station in June, 1995. In a new partnership, the Mir space
station will be made available to American astronauts, and the American shuttle will help
service the Mir station.
As the last of the American STS shuttles, Endeavour will continue to serve into the early
part of the next century. By that time, NASA hopes to have an operational National
Aerospace Plane to take the place of the old shuttle program.