What was the name of NASA's simulator used to train Space Shuttle crews?
Answer
Shuttle Mission Simulator
79 The Space Shuttle Program Trivia Questions with Answers
79 public questions with answers, drawn from the well. How many can you answer?
The Space Shuttle Program trivia covers NASA’s reusable orbiters, missions, crews, training, payloads, servicing flights, and international partnerships. Questions range from the simulator used to train shuttle crews and the Canadian-built robotic arm to mission milestones such as STS-1, the first Hubble servicing flight, and the final flight in July 2011.
This hub fits space enthusiasts, classroom review sessions, NASA-history fans, and competitive pub quizzes. It includes recognizable achievements alongside deeper details, including the Saudi payload specialist who became the first Arab in space and the mission that carried the only eight-person shuttle crew. Players familiar with launch designations and mission history will find plenty to test their memory.
Which Saudi payload specialist on STS-51-G became the first Arab in space?
Answer
Sultan bin Salman Al Saud
Which mission launched the only eight-person Space Shuttle crew?
Answer
STS-61-A
At which NASA facility were Space Shuttle external tanks manufactured?
Answer
Michoud Assembly Facility
Who made the first untethered free flight in space using the MMU?
Answer
Bruce McCandless II
What astronaut propulsion backpack enabled untethered shuttle spacewalks in 1984?
Answer
Manned Maneuvering Unit
Who became the first woman to command a Space Shuttle mission?
Answer
Eileen Collins
Which Russian cosmonaut became the first to fly aboard a Space Shuttle on STS-60?
Answer
Sergei Krikalev
Who became the first American woman to perform a spacewalk during STS-41-G?
Answer
Kathryn Sullivan
Who became the first Canadian astronaut in space on STS-41-G?
Answer
Marc Garneau
What aircraft model did NASA modify as the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft?
Answer
Boeing 747
Which company built the Space Shuttle orbiters in Palmdale, California?
Answer
Rockwell International
Which U.S. president approved Space Shuttle development in January 1972?
Answer
Richard Nixon
Which stranded satellite, also called Intelsat VI F-3, was captured on STS-49?
Answer
Intelsat 603
What Kennedy Space Center runway complex was built for shuttle landings?
Answer
Shuttle Landing Facility
Which ocean received the shuttle's solid rocket boosters after parachute splashdown?
Answer
Atlantic Ocean
What space telescope did STS-93 deploy in 1999?
Answer
Chandra X-ray Observatory
Which mission code identified Columbia's 2003 final flight?
Answer
STS-107
At which California base did STS-1 land in April 1981?
Answer
Edwards Air Force Base
What was Enterprise's NASA orbiter vehicle designation?
Answer
OV-101
Which fuel, paired with liquid oxygen, powered the shuttle's main engines?
Answer
Liquid hydrogen
What pair of large rockets flanked the Space Shuttle external tank at launch?
Answer
Solid rocket boosters
Which major Space Shuttle component was not reusable?
Answer
External tank
Which launch complex was used for the first Space Shuttle launch?
Answer
Launch Complex 39A
From which NASA center did all orbital Space Shuttle launches take place?
Answer
Kennedy Space Center
In NASA shuttle mission names, what did STS stand for?
Answer
Space Transportation System
Who commanded the first Space Shuttle mission, STS-1?
Answer
John Young
Which space shuttle was the first to be equipped with a drag chute?
Answer
Endeavour
The Space Shuttle Program trivia — quick answers
What are good Space Shuttle Program trivia questions?
Strong questions can cover shuttle missions, astronauts, payloads, training, technology, and major milestones. Examples include identifying STS-1, naming the Canadian robotic arm, recalling the final shuttle mission, and identifying the Saudi payload specialist aboard STS-51-G.
How hard is Space Shuttle Program trivia?
The hub mixes accessible NASA history with detailed mission knowledge. Most players may know that the shuttle was reusable, but mission codes, crew sizes, payload specialists, simulators, and satellite deployments require a stronger familiarity with the program’s 30-year history.
What was the first Space Shuttle mission?
STS-1 was the first Space Shuttle mission, launching Columbia on April 12, 1981, with astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen aboard. It was the first crewed orbital test flight of a reusable spacecraft. Columbia completed 36 orbits before landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California on April 14.
What was the Space Shuttle’s Canadian-built robotic arm called?
The Space Shuttle’s robotic arm was officially called the Remote Manipulator System, or RMS. Canada’s National Research Council developed it for NASA, and the system was built by Spar Aerospace. Mounted in the orbiter’s payload bay, the arm deployed and retrieved satellites, moved equipment, and supported tasks such as Hubble Space Telescope servicing.
What mission was the final Space Shuttle flight?
STS-135 was the final Space Shuttle mission. Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Center on July 8, 2011, carrying a crew of four and supplies for the International Space Station. After completing its mission, Atlantis landed on July 21, 2011, ending NASA’s Space Shuttle Program after 135 missions.