Similar
Related
Earth observations taken from shuttle orbiter Discovery STS-70 mission
Summary
STS070-705-094 (13-22 JULY 1995) --- The southern half (about 70 miles in this view) of the Tifernine dunes of east-central Algeria appears on this view. The Tifernine dune-sea is one of the more dramatic features visible from the Shuttle when flying over the Sahara Desert. The dunes lie in a basin of dark-colored rocks heavily cut by winding stream courses (top right). Very occasional storms allow the streams to erode the dark rocks and transport the sediment to the basin. Westerly winds then mold the stream sediments into the complex dune shapes so well displayed here. North at bottom.
The Space Shuttle program was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011, administered by NASA and officially beginning in 1972. The Space Shuttle system—composed of an orbiter launched with two reusable solid rocket boosters and a disposable external fuel tank— carried up to eight astronauts and up to 50,000 lb (23,000 kg) of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO). When its mission was complete, the orbiter would re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and lands as a glider. Although the concept had been explored since the late 1960s, the program formally commenced in 1972 and was the focus of NASA's manned operations after the final Apollo and Skylab flights in the mid-1970s. It started with the launch of the first shuttle Columbia on April 12, 1981, on STS-1. and finished with its last mission, STS-135 flown by Atlantis, in July 2011.
Tags
Date
Location
Source
Copyright info
