Inside the Heart and Brains of the Space Shuttle

Space · Published 21 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Explore the interior of the Space Shuttle through a 3D tour. This animation provides a rare look at the crew transport vehicle that defined a generation of space exploration.

The orbiter served as the primary crew transport vehicle, acting as the 'heart and brains' of the Space Shuttle program. While the exterior is iconic, this 3D tour allows viewers to visualize the complex internal layout used by astronauts to reach and return from space.

NASA's fleet included three operational orbiters—Atlantis, Discovery, and Endeavour—alongside the test article Enterprise and the lost vessels Challenger and Columbia. The program concluded in 2011 after 30 years of operation.

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