Galaxy Shuttle

The name or term "Orion" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Orion (disambiguation).

Galaxy Shuttle is an Autobot from the Victory portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

I know the pain of Astrotrain...

Galaxy Shuttle (ギャラクシーシャトル Gyarakushī Shatoru) does not have a very interesting name. Nor does he have an interesting personality. Nor does he have an interesting job, which is basically "Autobot bus, but in space".

However, he does have a funny voice and the ridiculously interesting "Meteor Crusher" ability to become the center of a swarm of meteors which he can use to smash land-based targets to a fine powder. Yikes.

Sometimes people even forget his name and just call him "Shuttle Robo" (シャトルロボ Shatoru Robo).

Fiction

Victory cartoon

Voice actor: Shingo Hiromori (Japanese)

With the exception of Metroplex, Fortress and Grand Maximus, Galaxy Shuttle is possibly the largest Autobot. Combiners barely reach his chest. As a shuttle, he has to live on top of the fortress launchpad habited by his compatriots, which makes him... pretty big. That said, Deathsaurus has no trouble putting him in his place, with extreme prejudice.

Victory manga

When Leozack attacked the Earth, Star Saber and the Autobots were stationed onboard Galaxy Shuttle. After receiving an SOS, Star Saber left to investigate the attack. Leozack Rumbles Violently!

Later, Blacker left Earth via Galaxy Shuttle to return to Planet V, where he was greeted by Shūta and Cab. The Star of Friendship, Jean and Star Saber!

When Deathsaurus initiated his final assault on the Earth, Galaxy Shuttle carried the Victories into battle, helping them invade the Decepticon Space City. Although they bested the Dinoforce, they were stalled by an explosive trap set up by Leozack. Heroic! The Victory War

Zone cartoon, manga and story pages

After the defeat of Deathsaurus and his fortress, the Decepticons eventually consolidated again, this time under the command of Emperor Violen Jiger, and began conquering vast expanses of space. To combat this threat, Victory Saber stationed Galaxy Shuttle on the Planet Zone, overseeing several Microtransformer teams and mobilizing them on coordinated strike missions to defend planets from Decepticon attack. Zone Part 1

On a mission to Feminia, however, the planet was completely destroyed by Violen Jiger's Generals. Galaxy Shuttle managed to ferry away as much of the planet's population as he could, but Victory Saber was considerably damaged by the explosion, and so command of the Autobots was passed on to Dai Atlas. Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas! Transformers: Zone

Later, Violen Jiger sent his new warriors, Metrotitan and the Metrosquad to attack the Lunar Zone Base. Galaxy Shuttle was killed by Metrotitan in the attack. Zone Part 8

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

The Orion was piloted by Bumblebee to Earth to assist Brawn and Ratchet when the Ark was under attack by Starscream and the Combaticons. Night of the Combaticons. Arriving at the battle between the Decepticons and Sunstorm, Cliffjumper used the Orion's weapons array to shoot Bruticus in the head, but Sunstorm shorted out the Orion's engines causing the ship to crash land; she was later repaired. Black Sunshine Later on after battling Sunstorm; Jetfire, Brawn, Bumblebee, and Cliffjumper returned to find almost everyone on the Orion had been temporarily deactivated, then Ratchet came out and told them that that Starscream was the culprit. The Omega Effect

Ask Vector Prime

Galaxy Shuttle, an offworlder in Axiom Nexus, was disguised as an Andegean shuttle, the Orion. His mission was to bring Vector Prime and Scorpia close enough to Nebulos to allow him to orbital bounce down and assume his disguise as a factory. Ask Vector Prime

Toys

Victory

Not Jetfire.

• Galaxy Shuttle (Autobot, 1989)
  • Japanese ID number: C-326
  • Accessories: Thruster-cannon

Galaxy Shuttle transforms into a large space shuttle. His cockpit opens to hold a Micromaster or similar-sized robot (like the Brainmaster units). His cargo bay is also deep enough to fit a suitably low-riding Micromaster in vehicle mode. He is designed to be able to rest on the launching pad of Countdown's Rocket Base in the place of its normal rocket. His top shuttle thruster/stabilizer fin becomes a (non-firing) hand-held cannon for robot mode.

• More information on Galaxy Shuttle at TFU.info

Generation 1

• Galaxy Shuttle (Autobot, 1990)

Galaxy Shuttle was inexplicably also available in the GiG Transformers line.

• More information on the Italian Galaxy Shuttle at Transformers @ The Moon

Notes

No one will recognize me in this costume!

• When Galaxy Shuttle first appeared in robot mode in episode 2, his name read out on the screen as "Shuttle Robo".
• In the Victory cartoon, Galaxy Shuttle appears in robot mode only for "Sneak Attack! Dinoking", "Rescue Jean!!", and "Fight to the Death!! Antarctic Battle". Maybe he was too scared to fight them Decepticreeps!
• Galaxy Shuttle was later released in Takara's Brave Command Dagwon toyline as Thunder Dagwon. The toy was significantly retooled, and included an additional motorcycle/robot that combined for the shuttle's robot mode. More on Thunder Dagwon at a Japanese toy photoblog. Another Thunder Dagwon gallery, with Galaxy Shuttle comparison.
• The spaceship Orion from Dreamwave's Generation One comics is pretty much identical to Galaxy Shuttle. This was presumed an easter egg until retconed by Ask Vector Prime into an alternate name for the character.
• The Armada Jetfire toy's appearance and transformation sequence is an homage to Galaxy Shuttle. This was confirmed by then-head designer Aaron Archer during his stint as 'ORSON' on the TFW2005.com boards.

Foreign names

• English: Countdown (Omni Productions dub)
• Russian: Shattl (Шаттл, "Shuttle")