This skin commemorates NASA's Space Shuttle program, which ran from 1972 to 2011. It includes a complete exterior skin for the F/A-18C and its fuel tank. The skin takes inspiration from each of the Space Shuttles and does not mimic a specific Shuttle in particular.
The Space Shuttle is one of the most iconic spacecraft of the space age. With over 135 missions spanning over 1322 days, orbiting the Earth 20,952 times, travelling a distance of over 500 million miles, the Space Shuttle program has earned its reputation as a symbol of science and human perseverance.
Take to the skies with this skin and get a feel for what real speed is. Do an unrestricted climb straight through the atmosphere and be sure to hold nothing back. Suit up, sit back, and arm the ejector seat. This will NOT be a smooth ride.
The Space Shuttle participated in numerous missions, notably the assembly of the International Space Station and orbit placement of the Hubble Telescope. The Space Shuttle became the first reusable spacecraft when the Columbia launched from Edwards Air Force Base on April 12th, 1981.
Six Shuttles were built and were named, in order, Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour. Enterprise was not built to orbit Earth and was instead used for early flight testing. The program is officially designated STS (Space Transportation System).
The program’s long list of achievements came at a great cost. In total, 14 astronauts lost their lives from Space Shuttle disasters. Seven on January 28th, 1986 while aboard Challenger during initial ascent and seven on February 1st, 2003 while aboard Columbia during re-entry.
Feel free to message me with fixes or suggestions for the skin. I hope you enjoy this skin as much as I enjoyed painting it!
