An Illustrated History of Space Shuttle
US winged Spacecraft: X-15 to Orbiter
Smith, Melvyn
Includes Challenger Accident Data. On 28 January 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after lift-off, killing its crew of seven. Suddenly the popularly held belief that the Shuttle missions were routine - boring even - was shown to be a lie. Space Shuttle remains the crowning technological achievement of the 20th Century -but it is still an adventure, and each mission still pushes at the boundaries of human knowledge, taking its crew onto the breathtaking knife-edge of danger. In this new updated and expanded edition Space Shuttle US winged spacecraft: X-15 t o Orbiter remains the only complete story of the development of the re-usable, plane-like spacecraft and the 35-year struggle to bring the concept from inspired vision to stunning reality. In this book is a full account of the early and very brave attempts to exceed the speed of sound and of the X-15 and Lifting Body programmes, which show the direct path between these exciting experimental programmes and the practical Space Transportation System that has become part of our lives. The text is written in an easy style, the story being told from a human standpoint äs well äs containing a wealth of technical detail. Not forgotten are the political aspects inevitable in a highly sensitive and multi-million dollar endeavour of this kind. All aspects of the Shuttle are described from the confirmation of design through development and flight-testing to manufacture. Separate chapters chronicle the achievements of each Shuttle mission from maiden flight until the tragic events that overtook Flight 51 L. In the second edition a füll chapter is given over to an investigation into the way Challenger met its doom and the findings of the protracted accident inquiry. In addition to the text, appendices provide a mission-by-mission record of all the research aircraft flights. The text is accompanied by an extensive complement of historic photographs, including eighty-five in colour.
Hardcover with dust jacket, large format
304 Seiten / pages
many photos
good condition, with a name label of the previous owner
UK - 1989 - Foulis aviation book
Art.Nr. 25742
