How The Space Shuttle Worked | Full Documentary

This is not an invitation to be featured on Real Engineering. Our animation studio is operated entirely separately to Real Engineering to maintain journalistic integrity

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Credits:
Producer/Writer/Narrator: Brian McManus
Head of Production: Mike Ridolfi
Editor: Dylan Hennessy
Writer/Research: Josi Gold
Animator: Eli Prenten
Animator: Stijn Orlans
Sound and Production Coordinator: Graham Haerther
Sound: Donovan Bullen
Thumbnail: Simon Buckmaster
Head of Moral: Shia LeWoof

Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images
Thank you to AP Archive for access to their archival footage.

Thank you to my patreon supporters: Abdullah Alotaibi, Adam Flohr, Henning Basma, Hank Green, William Leu, Tristan Edwards, Ian Dundore, John & Becki Johnston. Nevin Spoljaric, Jason Clark, Thomas Barth, Johnny MacDonald, Stephen Foland, Alfred Holzheu, Abdulrahman Abdulaziz Binghaith, Brent Higgins, Dexter Appleberry, Alex Pavek, Marko Hirsch, Mikkel Johansen, Hibiyi Mori. Viktor Józsa, Ron Hochsprung

[GHProductionss]

There's something to say about how even today, the Space Shuttle is still shown in media and across the internet as the default option for a modern spaceship.

[adrianen]

This really shouldn’t be free but I’m grateful we got this quality for free

[sekelus]

i will NEVER get tired of watching awesome documentary on the space shuttle

[utofbu]

Can't help but notice that there is audio-drift. By 30 ish minutes in, interview audio is pretty off... Maybe it's just me?

[davelcx]

Your channel has been as AWESOME as the Space Shuttle itself. Great job and thanks for featuring this incredibly designed BEAST of a machine!!! 👍👍👍

[qfc]

I grew up in Florida in the 80-90s. My father and I would go out on my back porch and watch the Space Shuttle. To this day the Shuttle has a special place in my heart.

[redoberon]

I knew some day this absolute legend would star in a full hour video of Real Engineering

[yognot]

40:01 “allowing any two spacecraft to mate, as Goddard intended” 😂 didn’t catch that on the first video but that’s hilarious!

[navypowertv]

The Endeavor’s first flight sounds like a nail-biting adventure, especially the part where they rescued a satellite with their bare hands. Anyone else fascinated by the sheer complexity of the shuttle's launch mechanics?

[emoluv]

Even if this was accompanied by 10 sponsors, this would still be better than a high budget 60 minute tv documentary with 3 hours of Commercials.

[SCA]

Even with all it's flaws, the shuttle line is one of my favorite things ever made. I saw STS 3 launch in person as a lil 9 year old, and it left an impression I will never forget.

[thesquirrel]

I work with an engineer who worked on SLS's RS-25 Block D program. Ive studdied the RS-25 and had a pretty good understanding of how it worked. But when we sat down and went over the design of the powerhead I was dumbfounded at the little design aspects that actually make it work, especially the high pressure oxidizer pump. Its a miracle that thing works at all let alone 100% reliably.

[jackalovski]

As a fan of space stuff this video didnt tell me anything I didnt already know, but I really love how it's all packaged in a single video. So very densly packed with comprehensive information it's amazing. I planned to have it on in the background but the stunning visuals meant I couldn't keep my eyes off it.

[quantumfluxuation]

I'm 20 minutes in and have learned so much that I didn't know and that's someone that was obsessed with the shuttle. This is going to be a great video I'll have to save!

[TheKdcool]

Is this a re-upload? I feel like I've already watched this

[notmattmclellan]

I love that Bruce's first job was to take a photo of the free-falling external tank, but I forgot, like a giddy kid in a candy store! I don't think any human could fault him for doing that; I sure know I would have had the same response!

[Chaydex]

Built in the 70s but damn she is still a beauty all these years later

[Dinoenthusiastguy]

A new Real Engineering video? That's over an hour? On space?

This is gonna be a good day

[jameschartrand]

I currently have pneumonia and today I wrote a 4h30 linear algebra final exam on 3h of sleep.

Worst day ever.

I just got home, opened youtube and discovered that real engineering just uploaded a 1h20 video on the space shuttle.

Best day ever.

[alijonbekmetov]

The 3d animation is insane, thanks a lot to the author of the chanel, I always follow the videos of this chanel from Uzbekistan, Tashkent