NASA Space Transportation System (STS) Flight History (1981-2009) Page 1 of 1: Includes Failure History L(F) = Number of Launches(Number of Failures) OV-102 OV-099 OV-103 OV-104 OV-105 Total Columbia Challenger Discovery Atlantis Endeavour STS Year L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1980 - - - - - - 1981 2(0) - - - - 2(0) 1982 3(0) - - - - 3(0) 1983 1(0) 3(0) - - - 4(0) 1984 - 3(0) 2(0) - - 5(0) 1985 - 3(1) 4(0) 2(0) - 9(1) 1986 1(0) 1(1) - - - 2(1) 1987 - - - - - - 1988 - - 1(0) 1(0) - 2(0) 1989 1(0) - 2(0) 2(0) - 5(0) 1990 2(0) - 2(0) 2(0) - 6(0) 1991 1(0) - 2(0) 3(0) - 6(0) 1992 2(0) - 2(0) 2(0) 2(0) 8(0) 1993 2(0) - 2(0) - 3(0) 7(0) 1994 2(0) - 2(0) 1(0) 2(0) 7(0) 1995 1(0) - 2(0) 2(0) 2(0) 7(0) 1996 3(0) - - 2(0) 2(0) 7(0) 1997 3(0) - 2(0) 3(0) - 8(0) 1998 1(0) - 2(0) - 2(0) 5(0) 1999 1(0) - 2(0) - - 3(0) 2000 - - 1(0) 2(0) 2(0) 5(0) 2001 - - 2(0) 2(0) 2(0) 6(0) 2002 1(0) - - 2(0) 2(0) 5(0) 2003 1(1) - - - - 1(1) 2004 - - - - - - 2005 - - 1(0) - - 1(0) 2006 - - 2(0) 1(0) - 3(0) 2007 - - 1(0) 1(0) 1(0) 3(0) 2008 - - 1(0) 1(0) 2(0) 4(0) 2009 - - 2(0) 2(0) 1(0) 5(0) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- OV-102 OV-099 OV-103 OV-104 OV-105 Total Columbia Challenger Discovery Atlantis Endeavour STS L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 28(1) 10(2) 37(0) 31(0) 23(0) 129(3) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- List of Space Shuttle Failures Date Vehicle ID Site Payload Failure Description Result# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/29/1985 Challenger STS-51F KSC LC39A Spacelab 2 SSME shut down early, sensor fault, ATO (LEO) 1/28/1986 Challenger STS-51L KSC LC39B TDRS-B/IUS, Spartan-203 Left SRB field joint O-ring fail - ascent breakup FTO* 1/16/2003 Columbia STS-107 KSC LC39A Spacehab-RDM ET insul. struck wing RCC - failed reentry LEO** ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Broke up during ascent when SRB leak flame caused left SRB aft support strut to give way. Root cause was ambient temperature during launch that was below O-ring capability. Seven crew killed. ** Broke up during 2/1/2003 reentry about 63 km altitude above Texas at Mach 18. Result of damage suffered during launch when ET foam insulation broke away and struck left wing leading edge reinforced carbon composite panel(s). Breach in insulation allowed interior heating of wing structure during reentry, leading to increased drag, loss of control, and structural failure. Seven crew killed. Footnotes: # FTO: Failed to Orbit FSO*: Failed Suborbital ATO: Abort to Orbit (LEO): Lower than planned Low Earth Orbit, Mission Declared a Success (EEO): Unintended Eliptical Earth Orbit (GTO): Unintended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (LEO): Unintended/Improper Low Earth Orbit References: "Space Shuttle ... The First 100 Missions", by Dennis Jenkins, 2001. Jonathan's Space Report Launch Vehicle Database at "http://www.planet4589.org/space/lvdb/index.html" Encylopedia Astronautica "http://www.astronautix.com/" Gunter's Space Page "http://www.skyrocket.de/space" SpaceFlightNow "http://www.spaceflightnow.com" Last Update 01/09/2010 by Ed Kyle