Space Shuttle: 1981 to present

NASA's four space shuttle orbiters are the first spacecraft capable of routinely launching into orbit like rockets and then returning to Earth as gliders. They are the main element of NASA's Space Transportation System, and are used for scientific research and space applications, such as deploying and repairing satellites.
On its own, a shuttle can carry to orbit a payload of about 65,000 pounds. Typical missions have crews of about seven astronauts, orbit at altitudes of around 150 to 250 miles, and stay in space for ten days to two weeks.

Development History of the Space Shuttle
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/shuttle-mir/spacecraft/s-orb.htm

Toward a History of the Space Shuttle: An Annotated Bibliography:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/Shuttlebib/cover.html

Wings into Space: The Flight of STS-1, April 12-14, 1981
http://history.nasa.gov/sts1/index.html

JSC Information on STS-1
http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-1/index.html

20th Anniversary of STS-1
http://history.nasa.gov/sts1/index.html

STS-1 Press Kit
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/presskit/sts1.htm

KSC Shuttle Operations
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/index.html

Shuttle Press Kits: 1981 - 2002
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/shuttle_pk/shuttle_press.htm

JSC Shuttle Mission Archive
http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/

KSC Shuttle Mission Chronology
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/chron/chrontoc.htm

KSC Shuttle Mission Archive
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/shuttle/missions/missions.html

KSC Shuttle Mission Summaries, Launch, and Landing Archive, 1999-2004
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/archives/1999-2004.html

Shuttle Operational Data Book
http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/green/

Shuttle Status Reports
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/spacenews/reports/index.html

Space Shuttle Status Reports
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/status/2005/index.html

KSC Shuttle Landing History
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/nasafact/landinghist.htm

NASA History Information on STS-51L/Challenger Accident
http://history.nasa.gov/sts51l.html

KSC Information on Challenger Accident
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/shuttle/missions/51-l/
mission-51-l.html

Space Shuttle Orbiters - Names
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/shuttle/orbiters.html

KSC Facts about the Space Shuttles
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/orbiters_toc.html

KSC Columbia Orbiter Fact Page
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/orbiterscol.html

KSC Columbia Orbiter (OV-102)
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/shuttle/resources/orbiters/columbia.html

KSC Discovery Orbiter Fact Page
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/orbitersdis.html

KSC Discovery Orbiter (OV-103)
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/shuttle/resources/orbiters/discovery.html

KSC Atlantis Orbiter Fact Page
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/orbitersatl.html

KSC Atlantis Orbiter (OV-104)
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/shuttle/resources/orbiters/atlantis.html

KSC Endeavour Orbiter Fact Page
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/orbitersend.html

KSC Endeavour Orbiter (OV-105)
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/shuttle/resources/orbiters/endeavour.html

KSC Challenger Orbiter Fact Page
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/challenger-info.html

KSC Challenger Orbiter (STA-099, OV-99)
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/shuttle/resources/orbiters/challenger.html

KSC Enterprise Orbiter (OV-101)
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/shuttle/resources/orbiters/enterprise.html

JSC Shuttle Images and Audio
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/index.html

KSC Shuttle Photo and Video Archive
http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/photos/

Space Shuttle Drawings and Technical Diagrams
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/shuttle-mir/multimedia/diagrams/
shuttle/diagram-shuttle.htm

Life Sciences Data Archive Searchable Database
http://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov

Space Shuttle Basics
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/basics/history/index.html