--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The space shuttle has been a fantastic…" description: "\"The space shuttle has been a fantastic vehicle. It is unlike any other thing that we've ever built. Its capabilities have carried several hundred peopl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/robert-crippen-29237_built_the-space-shuttle-has-been-a-fantastic-v_852532.jpg" --- # The space shuttle has been a fantastic vehicle. It is… ![“The space shuttle has been a fantastic vehicle. It is unlike any other thing that we've ever built. Its capabilities have carried several hundred people into space.” quote by Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/robert-crippen-29237_built_the-space-shuttle-has-been-a-fantastic-v_852532.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/robert-crippen-29237_built_the-space-shuttle-has-been-a-fantastic-v_852532.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/robert-crippen-29237_built_the-space-shuttle-has-been-a-fantastic-v_852532.jpg) > “The space shuttle has been a fantastic vehicle. It is unlike any other thing that we've ever built. Its capabilities have carried several hundred people into space.” [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The shuttle is a unique, powerful vehicle that has enabled human spaceflight for many. **In simple terms:** Shuttle’s unique capability for space travel. Key Takeaway Value and protect extraordinary engineering. Themes innovation exploration technology teamwork Mood inspirational proud Type historical technological When to use this quote - space missions - STEM education - inspiration - policy advocacy Key Concepts aerospace engineering leadership Questions to Reflect On - What lessons does the shuttle teach about teamwork? - How can we apply its innovation to Earth challenges? A Different Perspective Reliance on a single system can create vulnerability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) [Capability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capability/) [Fantastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantastic/) [Fantastic Vehicle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantastic-vehicle-765457/) [Hundred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hundred/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Shuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shuttle/) [Shuttle Fantastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shuttle-fantastic-765456/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space shuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-shuttle/) [Vehicle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vehicle/) ## Related quotes > [After the loss of Columbia a couple of years ago, I think we were reminded of the risk. All of us, though, have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kelly/after-the-loss-of-columbia-a-couple-of-years-ago-i-think-we-were/) [Mark Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kelly/) > [The space shuttle was designed, at least in part, to broaden our knowledge of the universe. To scientists, the vehicle was a tool; to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/the-space-shuttle-was-designed-at-least-in-part-to-broaden-our/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [Having the opportunity to fly the first flight of something like a space shuttle was the ultimate test flight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/having-the-opportunity-to-fly-the-first-flight-of-something-like-a/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [“The shuttle would announce its arrival with the trademark double sonic boom-- Boom, BOOM!!-- and shortly thereafter you could see the bright silvery craft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-wright/the-shuttle-would-announce-its-arrival-with-the-trademark-double/) [James D. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-wright/) > [I think the Space Shuttle is worth one billion dollars a launch. I think that it is worth two billion dollars for what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-conrad/i-think-the-space-shuttle-is-worth-one-billion-dollars-a-launch-i/) [Pete Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-conrad/) > [“One word I’d use to describe space is lonely. The only way I’ll board a space shuttle is if I had a babysitter with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/one-word-i-d-use-to-describe-space-is-lonely-the-only-way-i-ll-board/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Ok: I just saw a space shuttle on the back of a plane at JFK. Am I hallucinating? am I dead?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-monteith/ok-i-just-saw-a-space-shuttle-on-the-back-of-a-plane-at-jfk-am-i/) [Cory Monteith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-monteith/) > [It's pretty amazing to me that we have had a space shuttle program that's lasted for 30 years - for one space shuttle. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-grunsfeld/it-s-pretty-amazing-to-me-that-we-have-had-a-space-shuttle-program/) [John M. Grunsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-grunsfeld/) > [When the space shuttle gets back from its last mission, wouldn't it be hilarious if we were all dressed like apes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/when-the-space-shuttle-gets-back-from-its-last-mission-wouldn-t-it-be/) [Author Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/author-name/) > [When I was in high school we had the first shuttle launch, and it reinvigorated my enthusiasm for the space program. I was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-walker/when-i-was-in-high-school-we-had-the-first-shuttle-launch-and-it/) [Shannon Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-walker/) > [One day I'd love to hire a space shuttle fly in to space and hover above the earths atmosphere. Just so I can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-swain/one-day-i-d-love-to-hire-a-space-shuttle-fly-in-to-space-and-hover/) [Ryan Swain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-swain/) > [One word Id use to describe space is lonely. The only way Ill board a space shuttle is if I had a babysitter with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-word-id-use-to-describe-space-is-lonely-the-only-way-ill-board-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Manned spaceflight has lost its glamour - understandably so, because it hardly seems inspiring, 40 years after Apollo, for astronauts merely to circle the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/manned-spaceflight-has-lost-its-glamour-understandably-so-because-it/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [The Space Shuttle is the most effective device known to man for destroying dollar bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-rohrabacher/the-space-shuttle-is-the-most-effective-device-known-to-man-for/) [Dana Rohrabacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-rohrabacher/) > [Get on my level, you're gonna need a space shuttle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/get-on-my-level-you-re-gonna-need-a-space-shuttle/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Robert Crippen > [If you want to go into space first time on a new vehicle that's never been flown, you want to go with a pro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/if-you-want-to-go-into-space-first-time-on-a-new-vehicle-that-s-never/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [Selection of crews is always been somewhat of a mystery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/selection-of-crews-is-always-been-somewhat-of-a-mystery/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [I was selected to be an astronaut on a military program called the Manned Orbiting Laboratory back in '67. That program got cancelled in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/i-was-selected-to-be-an-astronaut-on-a-military-program-called-the/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [The nature of the shuttle was, we couldn't put a crew escape system in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/the-nature-of-the-shuttle-was-we-couldn-t-put-a-crew-escape-system-in/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [When you work really hard for something for a long time it's almost impossible to believe that it's coming true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/when-you-work-really-hard-for-something-for-a-long-time-it-s-almost/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [Living inside the shuttle was a little like camping out. We ended up sleeping in our seats. You had to pay attention to housekeeping,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/living-inside-the-shuttle-was-a-little-like-camping-out-we-ended-up/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [Having the opportunity to fly the first flight of something like a space shuttle was the ultimate test flight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/having-the-opportunity-to-fly-the-first-flight-of-something-like-a/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [This vehicle is performing like a champ. I've got a super spaceship under me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/this-vehicle-is-performing-like-a-champ-i-ve-got-a-super-spaceship/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [We were only on orbit a little over two days, so we had no adverse effects from being weightless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/we-were-only-on-orbit-a-little-over-two-days-so-we-had-no-adverse/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [The real pleasure was having the chance to enjoy being weightless, and the other was to spend some time looking out at this beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/the-real-pleasure-was-having-the-chance-to-enjoy-being-weightless-and/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [I thought it was going to take a lot more countdowns on the pad. We actually did scrub once, but I figured we'd scrub…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/i-thought-it-was-going-to-take-a-lot-more-countdowns-on-the-pad-we/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [Looking down at the Earth, you started to pick up a sense of speed much more than I had noticed on orbit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/looking-down-at-the-earth-you-started-to-pick-up-a-sense-of-speed/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [You're going very fast when you're on orbit, going around the world once every hour and a half.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/you-re-going-very-fast-when-you-re-on-orbit-going-around-the-world/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [We were on the dark side of the Earth when we started to see outside the window this soft pink glow, which is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/we-were-on-the-dark-side-of-the-earth-when-we-started-to-see-outside/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) > [The real pleasure was having the chance to enjoy being weightless, and the other was to... spend some time looking out at this beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crippen/the-real-pleasure-was-having-the-chance-to-enjoy-being-weightless-and-2/) [Robert Crippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) [Explore all 18 Robert Crippen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crippen/) ## More Built quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [Call me the rap assassinator / rhymes rugged and built like Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/call-me-the-rap-assassinator-rhymes-rugged-and-built-like/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) > [Do we make ourselves into what we become or is it built into our genes, into the fate spun for us by whatever shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bruchac/do-we-make-ourselves-into-what-we-become-or-is-it-built-into-our/) [Joseph Bruchac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bruchac/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [The dark ages still reign over all humanity, and the depth and persistence of this domination are only now becoming clear. This Dark Ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-dark-ages-still-reign-over-all-humanity-and-the-depth-and/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [God and I have built an immense fire together. We keep each other happy and warm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafez/god-and-i-have-built-an-immense-fire-together-we-keep-each-other/) [Hafez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafez/) > [When we built Roomba, we explicitly designed it to not have a face. We didn't want to think it was cute; we wanted people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/when-we-built-roomba-we-explicitly-designed-it-to-not-have-a-face-we/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) > [Winning a competition in architecture is a ticket to oblivion. It's just an idea. Ninety-nine per cent never get built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-libeskind/winning-a-competition-in-architecture-is-a-ticket-to-oblivion-it-s/) [Daniel Libeskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-libeskind/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Mostly what I'm focused on is finding people who are younger who haven't built companies before but have a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hughes/mostly-what-i-m-focused-on-is-finding-people-who-are-younger-who/) [Chris Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hughes/) > [“Imagine what I could have done in ten years. I could have learned to speak Japanese. I could have played every RPG video game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/imagine-what-i-could-have-done-in-ten-years-i-could-have-learned-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,164 Built quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The space shuttle has been a fantastic vehicle. It is unlike any other thing that we've ever built. 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