So it can glide back to earth and land like and airplane.
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The Space Shuttle is not an airplane. It is a spacecraft designed for space travel. While it can glide back to Earth and land like an airplane, its primary function is to carry astronauts and cargo into space.
A space shuttle typically has a cylindrical body with wings extending from the sides, resembling an airplane. It also has a large tail section with engines for propulsion in space and during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
The space shuttle had three main components: the orbiter, external tank, and solid rocket boosters. The orbiter had wings and resembled a plane. The external tank was a large orange tank, and the solid rocket boosters were two white rocket boosters attached to the sides.
The space shuttle was a reusable spacecraft that could carry astronauts and cargo to and from space. It had wings and could land on a runway like an airplane. Other space vehicles, like capsules, are typically not reusable and make parachute-assisted splashdowns in the ocean.
An Apollo landing involved a capsule re-entering Earth's atmosphere for a water landing, using parachutes to slow its descent. In contrast, a space shuttle landing was a controlled glide to a runway on land, using wings to navigate and land like an airplane. The space shuttle also had the ability to be reused multiple times.