Developed by the US space agency NASA the Space Shuttle is the only re-usable Space Transportation System in the world The main components are the Space Shuttle (Orbiter) with three re-usable main engines an external fuel tank & two solid fuel rockets with a total take-off thrust of 1246 MN (1270566 kp) The Space Shuttle can convey a 245 ton payload as well as 7 astronauts into a Low Earth Orbit of between 200 & 650 kilometres The fourth Space Shuttle Atlantis has completed 35 missions since the 3rd October 1985 In 2012 the shuttle program was discontinued after a period 30 years