by Ann Takman H O UG H T O N MIF F L IN by Ann Takman PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: Cover © Stockbyte/Getty Images Stocktrek Images/Getty Images Atlas Photo Bank/ Photo Researchers, Inc NASA/Photo Researchers, Inc NASA NASA NASA Stocktrek Images/Getty Images NASA 10 Stockbyte/Getty Images Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company All rights reserved No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the copyright owner unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law With the exception of nonprofit transcription into Braille, Houghton Mifflin is not authorized to grant permission for further uses of this work Permission must be obtained from the individual copyright owner as identified herein Address requests for permission to make copies of Houghton Mifflin material to School Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Company, 222 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116 Printed in China ISBN-13: 978-0-547-02988-7 ISBN-10: 0-547-02988-8 SDP 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 This is a space shuttle It looks like an airplane, but it travels in space Astronauts have explored space in space shuttles since 1981 Astronauts must learn how to work in space They study subjects such as astronomy and math They learn how to move and live in space, too Many people help astronauts get ready to fly A launch team gets the space shuttle ready to fly They check the orbiter to be sure its parts work correctly The orbiter carries astronauts and equipment The launch team fixes any parts of the orbiter that need repair Space Shuttle External tank Solid rocket booster Solid rocket booster Orbiter Orbiter engines The launch team tests and checks the external tank This tank holds fuel The launch team tests and checks the solid rocket boosters These boosters hold fuel, too A team puts together the solid rocket boosters, the external tank, and the orbiter to form the space shuttle The team puts very cold fuel into the external tank The fuel is so cold that ice forms on the tank A few hours before launch, another team makes sure that there isn’t too much ice on the tank Solid rocket boosters Orbiter engines At liftoff, the solid rocket boosters begin to work Their force helps push the shuttle off the ground After about two minutes, the boosters float back to Earth At liftoff, the orbiter engines work They also push the shuttle off the ground They get the shuttle into space The engines use fuel from the external tank The tank is empty after about eight minutes, and then it falls away, too Now the orbiter can orbit Earth In the future, many people may travel by space shuttle Maybe you will be one of them! 10 Responding Word Builder Make a word web around the word space What might you see in space? Copy this word web and add more words TARGET VOCABULARY space shuttle ? space ? ? Write About It Text to Self You have just read about the space shuttle Would you like to fly in one? Write a few sentences telling why or why not Use two words from the Word Builder in your paragraph 11 TARGET VOCABULARY astronomy explored float force future orbit repair space Analyze/Evaluate Tell how you feel about the text, and why TARGET STRATEGY On the water sits a boat It does not sink because it can 12 Level: L DRA: 24 Science Strategy: Monitor/Clarify Word Count: 294 2.6.28 Build Vocabulary HOUGHTON MIFFLIN Online Leveled Books 1033122 ... Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Company, 22 2 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 021 16 Printed in China ISBN-13: 978-0-547- 029 88-7 ISBN-10: 0-547- 029 88-8 SDP 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 This is a space shuttle... Level: L DRA: 24 Science Strategy: Monitor/Clarify Word Count: 29 4 2. 6 .28 Build Vocabulary HOUGHTON MIFFLIN Online Leveled Books 1033 122 ... Orbiter engines At liftoff, the solid rocket boosters begin to work Their force helps push the shuttle off the ground After about two minutes, the boosters float back to Earth At liftoff, the orbiter