The space shuttle is a reusable spacecraft that takes off like a rocket, travels around the earth like a spacecraft, and then lands once again like a glider. The first space shuttle was the Columbia, whose maiden voyage took place in April 1981. Four additional shuttles were later added to the fleet: Discovery, Challenger, Atlantis, and Endeavor. The first shuttle launched by the Soviet Union (now Russia) was Buran, which made its debut in November 1988.

At one time, both the United States and the Soviet Union envisioned complex space programs that included two parts: (1) space stations orbiting around Earth and/or other planets, and (2) shuttle spacecraft that would transport humans, equipment, raw materials, and finished products to and from the space station. For economic reasons, each nation eventually ended up concentrating on only one aspect of the complete program. The Soviets built and for many years operated...