Atlantis Begins Its Space Shuttle Career
On October 3, 1985, a new spacecraft rose from a launch pad in Florida. Flames and a cloud of exhaust surrounded the space shuttle Atlantis as it began its first journey into orbit. The flight, called STS-51J, was the start of a career that would last more than 25 years.
Atlantis was one of NASA’s space shuttle orbiters. Unlike a spacecraft designed to be used only once, an orbiter could return to Earth, land like a glider, and be prepared for another mission. But before Atlantis could glide home, it needed a powerful push to reach space.
At launch, the orbiter was attached to a large external fuel tank and two solid rocket boosters. The boosters supplied much of the force needed to lift the heavy shuttle off the ground. After they had used up their fuel, they separated from the shuttle and fell toward the ocean. They could be recovered and prepared for later flights.
The orbiter’s main engines also helped power the climb. They drew fuel from the external tank, which separated after the engines shut down. The tank was not reused. Once in space, Atlantis traveled fast enough to keep circling Earth. This path around the planet is called an orbit.
- exhaust:
- Gases released by an engine as it runs.
- mission:
- A special task or journey planned for a particular purpose.
- separated:
- Came apart or moved away from something.
- cargo:
- Goods or equipment carried by a vehicle.
- inspected:
- Looked at carefully to check its condition.
- withstand:
- To endure something difficult without being overcome.
- atmosphere:
- The layer of gases surrounding a planet.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What is the main idea of the passage, and which two details support it?
- 2How did the boosters and the orbiter’s main engines work together during launch?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“Atlantis Begins Its Space Shuttle Career” is a explanatory article reading passage about Space exploration, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (497 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.