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SHUTTLE

- perspective: gap between Skylab and Shuttle
- early design concepts and considerations (a reusable, flyback external tank; reusable solids; airbreathing engines)
- rational for present configuration (how have the various design decisions affected flight planning: orbital altitude, flight duration, flight profile (e.g. where the ET drops)).
- early technological questions--how have they performed in flight (were they worth the trouble?). Main concerns were the main engines and the tiles. 
- OFT program. The early flights had several precautions: extra water tanks (for emergency cooling), ejection seats that could theoretically provide a means of escape during ascent or entry, limited cargo, daylight constraints. 
- accomplishments of the recent program include satellite deployments, satellite retrievals, and satellite repairs (we are the full service station on orbit); accomplishments in science include areas of geology, oceanography, materials science, pharmaceuticals, life sciences; we have demonstrated international cooperation through the Spacelab flights, and commercial cooperation through the Spacelab flights, and commercial cooperation through our plan to fly commercial payload specialists. 
- in the future, the shuttle will be used to build, then access a space station; deploy, then service the space telescope