This information graphic maps the orbital parameters of all 135 Space
Shuttle missions flown between STS-1 (April 1981) and STS-135 (July
20
1
1). Each mission is plotted by perigee, apogee, and orbital inclination —
the same three numbers mission planners used to define where, exactl
y
,
each flight would sit above the Earth.
Read togethe
r
, they reveal the shape of the whole program at a glance: three
decades of missions converging again and again on the same narrow bands
of sk
y
, first toward Mi
r
, then toward the International Space Station, and
repeatedly back to Hubble for repair and renewal.
Dedicated to the men and women of the Space Shuttle program — the
astronauts who fle
w
, and the engineers, technicians, flight controllers, and
ground crews who made every launch possible.
In memory of the crews of Challenger and Columbia.
MISSION
PERIGEE (KM)
APOGEE (KM)
INCLIN
A
TION
MISSION
PERIGEE (KM)
APOGEE (KM)
INCLIN
A
TION
MISSION
PERIGEE (KM)
APOGEE (KM)
INCLIN
A
TION
MISSION
PERIGEE (KM)
APOGEE (KM)
INCLIN
A
TION
STS-1
STS-2
STS-3
STS-4
STS-5
STS-6
STS-7
STS-8
STS-9
STS-41-B
STS-41-C
STS-41-D
STS-41-G
STS-51-
A
STS-51-C
STS-51-D
STS-51-B
STS-51-G
STS-51-F
STS-51-I
STS-51-J
STS-61-
A
STS-61-B
STS-61-C
STS-51-
L
STS-26
STS-27
STS-29
STS-30
STS-28
STS-34
STS-33
STS-32
STS-36
STS-31
STS-41
STS-38
STS-35
OBJEC
T
A
L
TITUDE (KM)
NOTES
Mir
ISS
Hubble
Kármán Line
385
400
545
100
Docking missions:
STS-63,71,74,76,79,81,84,86,89,91
Docking missions: STS-88 onward
through STS-135
Serviced by
STS-31,61,82,103,109,125
Internationally recognized edge
of space
246
222
241
295
294
288
299
348
240
307
222
346
351
332
332
300
346
353
312
350
475
319
361
331
285
301
437
297
361
289
298
519
296
198
613
300
260
352
274
231
249
302
317
295
307
356
253
317
428
354
391
354
341
452
352
359
320
465
484
331
370
338
295
306
447
308
366
306
307
519
361
204
615
307
269
362
40.30
38.03
38.00
28.50
28.50
28.50
28.30
28.51
57.00
28.50
28.50
28.50
57.00
28.45
28.45
28.45
57.00
28.45
49.49
28.45
28.50
57.00
28.45
28.45
28.45
28.45
57.00
28.45
28.45
57.00
34.33
28.45
28.45
62.00
28.45
28.45
28.45
28.46
STS-37
STS-39
STS-40
STS-43
STS-48
STS-44
STS-42
STS-45
STS-49
STS-50
STS-46
STS-47
STS-52
STS-53
STS-54
STS-56
STS-55
STS-57
STS-51
STS-58
STS-61
STS-60
STS-62
STS-59
STS-65
STS-64
STS-68
STS-66
STS-63
STS-67
STS-71
STS-70
STS-69
STS-73
STS-74
STS-72
STS-75
STS-76
450
248
287
301
575
363
291
282
268
302
425
297
300
365
302
291
304
402
300
284
291
348
296
194
300
259
212
296
275
305
342
257
321
241
391
185
277
389
462
263
296
306
580
371
307
294
341
309
437
310
302
376
309
299
312
471
308
294
576
351
309
204
304
269
224
310
342
305
342
257
321
241
396
470
320
4
1
1
28.45
57.01
39.02
28.46
57.00
28.45
57.00
57.00
28.32
28.46
28.46
57.02
28.45
57.00
28.45
57.00
28.45
28.45
28.45
39.00
28.45
56.40
39.00
57.00
28.45
56.90
57.00
57.00
51.60
28.45
51.60
28.45
28.40
39.00
51.60
28.45
28.45
51.60
STS-77
STS-78
STS-79
STS-80
STS-81
STS-82
STS-83
STS-84
STS-94
STS-85
STS-86
STS-87
STS-89
STS-90
STS-91
STS-95
STS-88
STS-96
STS-93
STS-103
STS-99
STS-101
STS-106
STS-92
STS-97
STS-98
STS-102
STS-100
STS-104
STS-105
STS-108
STS-109
STS-
1
10
STS-
11
1
STS-
1
12
STS-
1
13
STS-107
STS-
1
14
278
246
368
318
380
475
298
377
296
249
354
273
359
247
350
550
388
326
260
563
224
319
375
386
352
365
370
331
372
373
353
486
155
349
273
379
270
350
287
261
386
375
392
574
302
393
300
261
381
279
382
274
373
561
401
340
280
609
242
332
386
394
365
378
381
375
390
402
377
578
225
387
405
397
285
355
39.00
39.00
51.60
28.45
51.60
28.47
28.45
51.70
28.45
57.00
51.60
28.45
51.60
39.00
51.70
28.45
51.60
51.60
28.40
28.45
57.00
51.50
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.50
51.50
51.60
51.60
51.60
28.50
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
39.00
51.60
STS-121
STS-
1
15
STS-
1
16
STS-
1
17
STS-
1
18
STS-120
STS-122
STS-123
STS-124
STS-126
STS-
1
19
STS-125
STS-127
STS-128
STS-129
STS-130
STS-131
STS-132
STS-133
STS-134
STS-135
353
157
326
334
226
340
331
336
307
343
385
486
344
219
343
341
320
335
208
321
371
354
227
358
354
226
344
339
346
328
352
402
578
351
264
356
356
346
359
232
343
385
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
28.50
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60
51.60