The Shuttle Program
The Space Transportation System (STS), more commonly known as the Space Shuttle Program officially began with the launch of the Shuttle Columbia on April 12, 1981. The US Space Shuttles are the only reusable space vehicles to have ever been produced, with the exception of the Soviet Union's Shuttle Buran which launched one unmanned mission on November of 1988. The Space Shuttle Program was originally to be retired in 201 O and replaced by the Ares program which was intended to return American's to the Moon, much like the Apollo mission, and eventually to Mars. However the program was canceled by President Obama leaving NASA with no means to put humans into space. Currently the US works with Russia to transport Americans to the International Space station.