Orbiter Vehicle. This designation identifies the winged spaceplane portion of the Space Shuttle system, distinguishing it from the external tank and solid rocket boosters. Engineers and flight controllers use the OV prefix followed by a serial number to specify individual airframes, such as OV-105 for Endeavour. The term specifically refers to the vehicle that returns to Earth and lands on a runway.
The processing facility is prepping OV-104 for its final payload integration.
Related terms
Spacecraft
Any vehicle designed to fly and operate in outer space.
Launch vehicle
A rocket or other system used to carry a payload from the Earth's surface into space.
ET
A digital record of a passenger's booking that replaces a traditional paper document.
SRB
A solid rocket booster used to provide heavy initial thrust during a launch.