The complex legacy of the Space Shuttle through a European lens

Space · Published 11 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Explore the technological marvel of the Space Shuttle, a system that served as a cornerstone for orbital science and international cooperation for three decades.

The Space Shuttle is characterized as one of humanity's most complex technological systems. Over its 30-year lifespan, it completed 135 flights, facilitating the deployment and return of satellites and deep-space probes, as well as the construction of the International Space Station.

This tribute specifically highlights the contributions of 24 European astronauts who traveled to Earth orbit across 25 missions. The video traces this history from STS-9 in 1983 through to STS-134 in May of the final year of the program.

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