How did the shuttles get their names?

Answer 1

There have been six Space Shuttles.

The first space shuttle is named Enterprise. Enterprise was built without engines or a heat shield and was used only as a test vehicle. It never flew into space. Enterprise was originally going to be called Constitution, however a write-in campaign by Star Trek fans caused NASA to name it after the fictional Starship Enterprise. The space shuttle Enterprise is currently on display at the National Air and Space Museum.

The second was named Columbia. Columbia was the first space shuttle to be sent into space. Columbia was named two vessels. The first wass the Boston-based ship Columbia which was captained by Robert Gray. In the 1790s, it explored the Pacific Northwest and became the first American vessel to circumnavigate the globe. The second was the Apollo 11 command module Columbia. It carried the astronauts who made the first moon landing in 1969. The space shuttle Columbia was destroyed in an accident while returning to Earth in 2003.

The third was named Challenger. Challenger was named after two vessels. The first was the HMS Challenger, a British corvette that was the command ship of the Challenger expedition from 1872 to 1876. The expedition conducted pioneering global marine research. The second was the Apollo 17 lunar module Challenger, which landed on the Moon in 1972. The space shuttle Challenger was destroyed in an accident at lift-off in 1986.

The fourth is named Discovery. Discovery is named after the HMS Discovery, which was commanded by Captain James Cook during his third and final major voyage from 1776-1779 which explored the South Pacific and discovered the Hawaiian Islands. The space shuttle Discovery is currently operational and scheduled to make two final spaceflights (STS-131 and STS-133) before being retired in late 2010.

The fifth is named Atlantis. Atlantis is named after the RV Atlantis, the primary research vessel of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute from 1930 to 1966. It was the first US vessel to be used for oceanographic research. The space shuttle Atlantis is currently operational and scheduled to make one final flight (STS-132) in May of 2010 before being retired.

The sixth is named Endeavour. Endeavour is named after the British HMS Endeavour, commanded by captain James Cook on his first voyage of discovery from 1768-1771. The name Endeavour was selected through a national competition involving students in elementary and secondary schools. Entries included an essay about the name, the story behind it, and why it was appropriate for a NASA shuttle. Endeavour was the most popular entry. The space shuttle Endeavour is currently operational and is scheduled to make one final flight (STS-134) in July of 2010 before being retired.

Answer 2

NASA's Space Shuttle fleet was named after historical ships of exploration, such as the Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour. This naming convention aimed to reflect the spirit of discovery and exploration inherent in the space shuttle program.