Space Shuttle

I remember the warm Florida sun on my white body. I pointed straight up at the big blue sky, with a tall tower right beside me. I looked a little like an airplane with big wings, but I had two helper rockets on my sides and was attached to a giant orange tank. I could feel a little shake. Rumble, rumble. I was so excited to fly. I am the Space Shuttle.

Everyone counted down. Five. four. three. two. one. WHOOSH. A big, fiery cloud pushed me up, up, up. ROAR. I went so fast. I said goodbye to my helper rockets and my big orange tank. I flew past the fluffy white clouds and into the quiet, dark space. All around me were sparkly, twinkly stars. My very first trip to space was on April 12th, 1981.

I had a very important job in space. My big tummy doors would swing open to the stars. Friendly astronauts in puffy white suits would float out to do their work. I was like a big space truck. I carried giant building blocks into space to help make a home called the International Space Station. I also helped a giant telescope, called Hubble, see the stars far, far away. I was a space truck, a science lab, and a home all in one.

When my job was done, it was time to glide home. I would fly back toward the bright blue Earth. I got warmer and warmer as I flew through the sky, but my body was very strong. I didn't land in the water with a splash. I landed like a giant paper airplane. My wheels would touch the ground with a little bump, and I would roll to a stop on a very long runway. I made many trips like this for 30 years, until my last flight in 2011. I was special because I could go to space and come back again and again.

I don't fly to space anymore, but now I live in a special museum where children can come and see me. I love it when they look up at my big wings and imagine their own adventures among the stars. I remind everyone to look up at the night sky and dream big dreams. You never know what amazing places you might go one day.