Top 10 NASA Space Shuttle Models

The Space Shuttle given the name "Enterprise" was surely named after the popular space craft in Star Trek. Enterprise was the first space shuttle. This shuttle never left the earth's atmosphere, but was used to in test missions to develop the then-new space shuttle program.

Pictured here is a Dragon Models 1/400 Space Shuttle Enterprise with 747. Click the link, image above, or below for more information.

On April 27, 2012, Space Shuttle Enterprise came to it's new home in New York where it will be taken to the Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum which is board a retired air craft carrier with an impressive history. The Enterprise is scheduled to be open to the public July 19, 2012. Intrepid on Facebook.

The second Space Shuttle given the name "Columbia" began the first real shuttle missions in April of 1981. After going on five missions, it was modified so that it could fly longer missions, up to 16 days.

Sadly, Columbia is one of two space shuttles that exploded in flight, in this case during re-entry into the earths atmosphere in February of 2003, leading to much speculation about damage to the heat shield by flying debris, and leading to more close watch in future launches for flying debris during takeoff. The crew members included Rick D. Husband, Commander; William C. McCool, Pilot; Michael P. Anderson, Payload Commander; David M. Brown, Mission Specialist; Kalpana Chawla, Mission Specialist; Laurel Blair Salton Clark, Mission Specialist; and Ilan Ramon, Payload Specialist.

Click the image, this link to the Space Shuttle "Columbia" w/ Solid Rocket Booster, or the link below for more information about this model.

Space Shuttle "Challenger" started out as a test vehicle, and was later upgraded. Challenger became the second space shuttle to be used in shuttle missions.

The Challenger space shuttle also came to a tragic end, many of us watched live as it exploded very shortly after taking off from the Kennedy Space Center, and were heart broken at the sight. This happened before the Columbia disaster, in January of 1986. The 7 member crew included Commander Francis R. (Dick) Scobee; Michael J. Smith, Pilot; Judith A. Resnik, mission specialist; Ronald E. McNair, mission specialist; Ellison S. Onizuka, mission specialist; Gregory B. Jarvis, payload specialist; and Sharon Christa McAuliffe, a teacher who was one of about 11,000 who applied for the opportunity.

Pictured is the model Dragon Models 1/400 NASA Space Shuttle "Challenger" w/Shuttle Bay Doors and Interior Payload Details. Click the link, image above, or below for more information.

Discovery made its first flight in August 1984, and returned from it's last mission in March of this year (2011).

Click the image above, or below, or this link---> Revell Space Shuttle Discovery for more information about this model.

Space Shuttle Discovery made it's final flight on April 17, 2012, piggy-back style on a Jumbo Jet from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to it's final destination, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum at Dulles International Airport in Washington DC where it will be displayed in the annex.

The "Atlantis" space shuttle was launched into it's first mission only a little over a year after the Discovery, in October of 1985.

Click the image, below, or this link for more information about the Space Shuttle F/S Atlantis 1/200 Scale Model
.

The Space Shuttle "Endeavour" (proper spelling is Endeavour, not Endeavor) was the last shuttle built and retired after it's last flight in May of 2011. Endeavour was built after the Challenger accident as a replacement, and was sent on it's first mission in May of 1992....a mission in which it rescued a stranded communications satellite, the Intelsat 6.

The last mission of Endeavour has gained more than usual media attention since the shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Her husband, Mark Kelly, piloted the final Endeavor mission.

Click the image above, link below, or this link for more information about Dragon Models 1/400 NASA Space Shuttle "Endeavour" with Landing Gear - Last Mission STS-134 model kit.

This is a large Lego model kit of a space shuttle docked on the International Space Station.

Fore more information, click on the LEGO Discovery: International Space Station
link, or the image above, or below.

Click 3-D Wooden Puzzle - Small Space Shuttle Model -Affordable Gift for your Little One! Item #DCHI-WPZ-P054A for more information.

Click NASA Space Shuttle Snap-together 1-200 Revell for more information.