Description
Experience all 135 NASA space shuttle missions ever flown through the words of the astronauts themselves in this spectacularly illustrated volume. With more than 600 photos from the NASA archives, this guide is perfect for fans of space history and spaceflight.
NASA's space shuttle was the world's first reusable spacecraft, accomplishing many firsts and inspiring generations across its 30-year lifespan as America's iconic spaceship. In Space Shuttle Stories, shuttle astronaut Tom Jones interviewed more than 130 fellow astronauts for personal vignettes from each mission, complemented by their written accounts for all 135 space shuttle missions, from Columbia's maiden flight in 1981 to the final launch of Atlantis in 2011. The book is a major contribution to the historical record of a momentous era of spaceflight. Each mission profile includes: an astronaut narrative that immerses the readers in their personal mission experience; data about the mission, crew, launch, landing, duration, and highlights; captivating photographs rarely seen by the public.
The Space Shuttle program's 6 orbiter vehicles (Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour) carried a total of 355 astronauts into orbit on 135 missions aimed at cutting-edge scientific research, satellite launch, retrieval and repair, collaborative work with the Russian Mir station, the launching and servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope, and the construction of the International Space Station. Space Shuttle Stories focuses on the lived, human experiences of larger-than-life space missions. It's a definitive oral history that captures the importance, wonder, and exhilaration of the Space Shuttle era.
Museum Story
The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum maintains the world's largest and most significant collection of aviation and space artifacts, encompassing all aspects of human flight, as well as related works of art and archival materials. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is the companion facility to the museum and houses hundreds of historically significant air- and spacecraft, along with thousands of small artifacts.
Details
- Includes bookplate signed by the author
- Hardcover
- 320 pages, 640 color photographs
- 10.5" x 8.5"
- Written by Tom Jones, NASA astronaut and spacewalker
