After several years, the space shuttle flew again and a new shuttle, Endeavour, was built to replace Challenger in the shuttle fleet.

Green Light From Reagan In August 1986, President Reagan ordered the space agency to yield its commercial launching business to a yet-to-be-developed private rocket industry and to build a space shuttle to replace Challenger.

In 2011 Gulfstream 450 (Registered 4L-GAF) was added to inventory, possibly replacing Challenger in VIP transport role.

Similarly, Enterprise was considered for refit to replace Challenger after the latter was destroyed, but Endeavour was built from structural spares instead.

The reprieve comes because the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has until August to buy the fourth shuttle that has been ordered to replace Challenger, based on a stipulation made by Congress when it authorized the funds.

Endeavour was built to replace Challenger when it was lost in January 1986.

A fifth operational orbiter, Endeavour, was built in 1991 to replace Challenger.

Replacing Challenger is a big issue and how.

The United States Congress authorized the construction of Endeavour in 1987 to replace Challenger, which was lost in the STS-51-L launch accident in 1986.

Endeavour (OV-105) was built to replace Challenger (using structural spare parts originally intended for the other orbiters) and delivered in May 1991; it was first launched a year later.