STS-118: Educator in Space
Mission specialist and former teacher Barbara Morgan makes history by becoming the first "Educator Astronaut."
Space Shuttle Crew
The crew of Space Shuttle Mission STS-118. Pictured left to right: Commander Scott J. Kelly, Pilot Charles O. Hobaugh, mission specialists Alvin Drew Jr., Richard A. Mastracchio, Canadian Space Agency's Dave Williams, former teacher Barbara R. Morgan and Tracy E. Caldwell.
Educator in Space
Mission Specialist Barbara R. Morgan is a former teacher who was originally selected to be the backup candidate for the NASA Teacher in Space Program. When primary candidate Christa McAuliffe passed away in the Challenger accident, Morgan was named the Teacher in Space Designee, and later became a full-fledged astronaut.
STS-118
The STS-118 patch represents Space Shuttle Endeavour on its mission to help complete the assembly of the International Space Station and symbolizes the pursuit of knowledge through space exploration.
Endeavor
Space Shuttle Endeavor stands on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center.
Atlantis
Another Space Shuttle, Atlantis, stands silhouetted by the sun at Kennedy Space Center. Atlantis flew the mission before STS-118, earlier this summer.
Lift-off!
The Space Shuttle lauches by way of two solid rocket boosters, which provide 80 percent of the launch thrust, and the external tank, which fuels the main engines during launch.
Memorable Experience
Watching the launch of a Space Shuttle is a dramatic and memorable experience for anyone lucky enough to witness it.
International Space Station
While the STS-118 mission is making headlines for sending the first Educator Astronaut into space, the mission's primary objective is to deliver and install a new piece onto the International Space Station in orbit above Earth.
Landing Like a Glider
The Space Shuttle is remarkable for taking off like a rocket, orbiting like a spacecraft, and landing like a glider. The Shuttle makes a completely unpowered, "dead stick" landing.
Piggyback
A specially modified Boeing 747 can transport the Space Shuttle back to Kennedy Space Center when bad weather or other factors force the Shuttle to land at any of its many backup landing sites.
Educator-Astronaut
Watch Barbara Morgan, NASA'S 'Educator-Astronaut,' talk about what kids can learn from the STS-118 mission.
Space Station Locator
Locate the International Space Station in space. Where is it now? Then take a virtual tour of the space station and find out how the crew lives up there.
Real Life in Space
How do astronauts do ordinary things like eat, brush their teeth and go to the bathroom in space? Find out.
