General Awareness: Space Space Shuttle Orbitors Quiz

1. The first Space Shuttle Orbiter was named Enterprise. However, what was it originally going to be named?

a) Independence
b) Constitution
c) Liberty
d) Orion

The correct answer is b) Constitution

2. The first Orbiter whose name became the subject of a competition for children was which of the following?

a) Challenger
b) Endeavour
c) Atlantis
d) Discovery

The correct answer is b) Endeavour

3. While building two of the Orbiters in the 1980s, it was decided that some 'spare parts' should be made so it would be easier to fix one of them if they were damaged. Which two orbiters were these?

a) Columbia and Challenger
b) Discovery and Atlantis
c) Enterprise and Columbia
d) Discovery and Challenger

The correct answer is b) Discovery and Atlantis

4. Columbia flew 28 missions before the crew and vehicle were lost during landing. The people who lost their lives were following a tradition of exploration on a ship bearing that name. Which of the following is not one of the accomplishments of a ship with the name Columbia?

a) First American circumnavigation of the globe
b) First command module for a lunar-landing mission
c) First US Navy ship to circle the globe
d) First ship to sail around South America

The correct answer is d) First ship to sail around South America

5. Because NASA decided to have some spare parts made during the construction of two Orbiters in the 1980s, they were able to use these parts to construct an Orbiter to replace Challenger, which was lost in 1986. Which Orbiter was the eventual recipient of these 'spare parts'?

a) Endeavour
b) Atlantis
c) Discovery
d) Columbia

The correct answer is a) Endeavour

6. Which Orbiter was the first to land like an airplane (as in touching down instead of being thrown into water)?

a) Columbia
b) Atlantis
c) Challenger
d) Enterprise

The correct answer is d) Enterprise

7. One result of the Challenger explosion was that NASA decided that it was too risky to carry a Centaur in the upper payload section of the Orbiter. Only two Orbiters had been modified to carry a Centaur in the upper payload section, the Challenger and ____.

a) Endeavour
b) Columbia
c) Discovery
d) Atlantis

The correct answer is c) Discovery

8. The Space Shuttle Orbiters are very heavy objects. About how much does one weigh without the main engines installed?

a) 200,000 pounds
b) 150,000 pounds
c) 100,000 pounds
d) 250,000 pounds

The correct answer is b) 150,000 pounds

9. A decision was made not to modify the Enterprise from an approach-landing test vehicle to one that was capable of entering space. As this decision would mean that there would be only one Orbiter, another decision was made to convert another test vehicle (STA-099) into a fully-functional Orbiter. Which Orbiter became operational because of this decision?

a) Challenger
b) Atlantis
c) Columbia
d) Discovery

The correct answer is a) Challenger