The exits sealed, the shuttle broke free from the station's grasp and began its drop into the tube of force.

The shuttle broke the surface and lay bobbing for a few minutes on the swells in bright sunlight.

With a final thrust of its engines, the shuttle broke free of the planet's gravity.

The shuttle broke up about 6 a.m. Pacific time.

He heard the sonic boom as the shuttle broke the planet's sound barrier.

The 13-member board, which began work just after the shuttle broke apart on Feb. 1, has already laid out many of the points.

His 11.15-second 60-yard shuttle broke the combine linebacker record.

The shuttle broke through the cloud ceiling into only slightly less darkness.

Now it was empty and peaceful again, and only the occasional shuttle going about its business broke the silence.

The shuttle did not break through the cloud layer until just 10,000 feet - less than a minute before landing.