How did the Orbiter Vehicle work? (Space Shuttle)

The Orbiter Vehicle, also known as the Space Shuttle Orbiter, was a key component of NASA's Space Shuttle system, which operated from 1981 to 2011. The Space Shuttle Orbiter was designed to be a reusable spacecraft that could carry astronauts and cargo into low Earth orbit, perform a variety of missions, and then return safely to Earth. Here's an overview of how the Orbiter Vehicle worked:

Launch: The Orbiter Vehicle was launched into space atop the Space Shuttle stack, which included the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) and the External Tank (ET). The Orbiter was attached to the ET, which provided the fuel for its main engines. The SRBs provided additional thrust during the initial phase of launch and were jettisoned when their fuel was depleted.

Orbital Flight: Once in orbit, the Orbiter was equipped with various systems to maintain its position and orientation in space. It had a set of orbital maneuvering engines (OMS) for major orbital changes and smaller reaction control thrusters (RCS) for fine adjustments.

Payload Bay: The Orbiter had a large payload bay, which could carry a variety of payloads, including satellites, scientific instruments, and cargo. This bay could be opened in space, allowing astronauts to deploy or retrieve payloads.