Space- When We Left Earth

I'm creating a space adventure map based that I'm going to use for a couple things. Such as a scene from Modern Warfare 2 campaign and have nuke go off whipping out the space station and what not. Also I'm constructing the Kennedy Space Center for just a machinima video I'm going to do. A couple mods coming out of this project to such as a spot light mod and a flare mod. Anyway hope you guys will like it when it comes out.

The Space Shuttle was a partially reusable launch system and orbital spacecraft operated by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) forhuman spaceflight missions. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons. The first of four orbital test flights occurred in 1981 leading to operational flights beginning in 1982. It was used on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011 all launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

Major missions included launching numerous satellites, interplanetary probes, Hubble Space Telescope (HST), conducting space science experiments, and constructing and servicing the International Space Station. Major components included the orbiters, recoverable boosters, external tanks, payloads, and supporting infrastructure. Five space-worthy orbiters were built; two were destroyed in accidents.

The Space Shuttle at launch consisted of the Orbiter Vehicle (OV), one external tank (ET), and two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs). It was launched vertically like a conventional rocket with thrust from the two SRBs and three main engines. During launch, the external tank provided fuel for the orbiter's main engines. The SRBs and ET were jettisoned before the orbiter reached orbit. At the conclusion of the orbiter's space mission, it fired its thrusters to drop out of orbit and re-enter the lower atmosphere. The orbiter decelerated in the atmosphere before flying like a glider but with reaction control system thrusters before landing on a long runway.

The International Space Station (ISS) is a habitable artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. It follows the Salyut, Almaz, Skylab and Mir stations as the ninthspace station to be inhabited. The ISS is a modular structure whose first component was launched in 1998. Like many artificial satellites, the station can be seen from Earth with the naked eye.[8][9] The ISS consists of pressurised modules, external trusses, solar arrays and other components. ISS components have been launched by American Space Shuttles as well as Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets.[10] Budget constraints led to the merger of three space station projects with the Japanese KibÅ module and Canadian robotics. In 1993 the Soviet/Russian Mir-2, the American Freedom, and the EuropeanColumbus merged into a single multinational programme.[10] The Russian Federal Space Agency plans to separate some of its modules from the Russian segment to form the OPSEK facility before the remainder of the station is deorbited.

The ISS serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory in which crew members conduct experiments in biology, human biology,physics, astronomy, meteorology and other fields.[11][12][13] The station is suited for the testing of spacecraft systems and equipment required for missions to the Moon and Mars.[14]

The station has been continuously occupied for 11 years and 165 days having exceeded the previous record of almost 10 years (or 3,644 days) held by Mir, in 2010. The station is serviced by Soyuz spacecraft, Progress spacecraft, the Automated Transfer Vehicle, the H-II Transfer Vehicle,[15] and formerly theSpace Shuttle. It has been visited by astronauts and cosmonauts from 15 different nations.[16]

The ISS programme is a joint project between five participating space agencies, the American NASA, the Russian RKA, the Japanese JAXA, the EuropeanESA, and the Canadian CSA.[15][17] The ownership and use of the space station is established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements.[18] The station is divided into two sections, the Russian orbital segment (ROS) and the United States orbital segment (USOS), which is shared by many nations. The ISS ismaintained at an orbital altitude of between 330 km (205 mi) and 410 km (255 mi). It completes 15.7 orbits per day.[19] The ISS is funded until 2020, and may operate until 2028.[20][21][22]

Additional Notes

Looking for people to help me with my projects anybody interested?