EXPLORATION

CHAPTER 6
Back to the Future, 1992–Today
119
SPACE SHUTTLE
For over 30 years, NASA Space Shuttles accomplished
“delivery truck” missions for a variety of objectives.
The meatball insignia and the names and logos of
NASA’s partners typically appeared in the cargo bay or
on the Shuttle’s robotic arm.
Following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster on 1
February 2003, NASA called on the Shuttle Discovery
for a second Return-to-Flight mission. Discovery was
launched on 26 July 2005 and delivered supplies to the
ISS, landing on 9 August at Edwards. Discovery and
its crew carried the meatball insignia on the mission.
Once again, the insignia was on stage during intense
media coverage of the event.
When the decision was made to terminate the Space
Shuttle program in 2011 after 30 years of achievements
and 135 missions, all active orbiters carried similar
markings with the meatball insignia prominently
displayed on the aft fuselage and left wing. As mentioned
earlier, Shuttle Enterprise, a prototype vehicle,
had retained its NASA logotype markings. Museums
around the nation breathlessly awaited the outcome
of the decision that would determine where the four
vehicles would be displayed to preserve the legacy of
NASA’s Shuttle activities.
FIGURE 6-20.
The meatball insignia carried by the Shuttle Discovery
on its left wing and aft fuselage are clearly visible in this
dramatic picture of the launch of mission STS-120 in
2007. (NASA STS 120-S-047)