space shuttle

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

ˈspace shuttle [space shuttle] BrE NAmE (also shuttle) noun
a ↑spacecraft designed to be used, for example, for travelling between the earth and a space station
See also: ↑shuttle

Culture:
Space shuttles are part of the US Space Transportation System (STS), and the flights began in 1981. The first four were ↑Columbia, Challenger, Discovery and Atlantis. When Challenger exploded in 1986 killing all seven of its crew, all flights were stopped for more than two years. ↑Endeavor replaced Challenger in 1992. In 2003 Columbia exploded while re-entering the earth’s atmosphere and again all flights were stopped. In 2004 the US announced that it will replace the space shuttle with a new type of vehicle by 2010.