This book explains how the achievements of the Space Shuttle, the world’s first reusable manned spacecraft, were built on the foundation of countless technical challenges.

Through thick and thin, the Space Shuttle remained the centerpiece of the American human spaceflight program for three decades. In addition to deploying satellites, planetary probes and, of course, the Hubble Space Telescope, it delivered astronauts to the Mir space station and assembled and sustained the International Space Station. Yet the path to these incredible achievements was never an easy one, with some obstacles resulting in the loss of life and other major consequences that plagued the fleet throughout its operational career.

The book adopts a challenge-by-challenge approach, focusing on specific difficulties and how (if at all) they were fully overcome. Going beyond the technical issues, it relates the human stories of each incident and how changes were effected in order to make theshuttle an exceptionally safer – though still experimental – flying machine.

 


Les mer
In addition to deploying satellites, planetary probes and, of course, the Hubble Space Telescope, it delivered astronauts to the Mir space station and assembled and sustained the International Space Station.
Les mer
List of Illustrations.- Preface.- Acknowledgements.- Chapter 1: A Butterfly and a Bullet.- Chapter 2: On the Ground.- Chapter 3: Blowing the Bolts.- Chapter 4: Riding the Main Engines.- Chapter 5: Big, Dumb Boosters.- Chapter 6: The External Tank.- Chapter 7: The Shuttle's Fragile Skin.- Chapter 8: The Short and the Long.- Chapter 9: Unexpected Failures.- Chapter 10: Sickness and Space Suits.- Chapter 11: Where to Land.- Index. 
Les mer

This book explains how the achievements of the Space Shuttle, the world’s first reusable manned spacecraft, were built on the foundation of countless technical challenges.

Through thick and thin, the Space Shuttle remained the centerpiece of the American human spaceflight program for three decades. In addition to deploying satellites, planetary probes and, of course, the Hubble Space Telescope, it delivered astronauts to the Mir space station and assembled and sustained the International Space Station. Yet the path to these incredible achievements was never an easy one, with some obstacles resulting in the loss of life and other major consequences that plagued the fleet throughout its operational career.

The book adopts a challenge-by-challenge approach, focusing on specific difficulties and how (if at all) they were fully overcome. Going beyond the technical issues, it relates the human stories of each incident and how changes were effected in order to make the shuttle an exceptionally safer – though still experimental – flying machine.

Les mer
Explores the technical and human stories behind the evolution of the Space Shuttle program Covers efforts made to enhance the shuttle’s safety, including improvements to the engine, external tank, solid rocket booster systems, and drag chute Includes recollections by shuttle astronauts, engineers and managers
Les mer
GPSR Compliance The European Union's (EU) General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is a set of rules that requires consumer products to be safe and our obligations to ensure this. If you have any concerns about our products you can contact us on ProductSafety@springernature.com. In case Publisher is established outside the EU, the EU authorized representative is: Springer Nature Customer Service Center GmbH Europaplatz 3 69115 Heidelberg, Germany ProductSafety@springernature.com
Les mer

Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9783030707767
Publisert
2021-05-11
Utgiver
Vendor
Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Høyde
240 mm
Bredde
168 mm
Aldersnivå
Popular/general, P, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet

Forfatter

Om bidragsyterne

Ben Evans has been involved with the topic of space exploration, especially human space exploration, since childhood. He regularly wrote to NASA, corresponded with astronauts and attended lectures and events. Since 1992, Evans has written extensively for the magazines Spaceflight, Countdown, Astronomy Now, Astronomy, All About Space and BBC Sky at Night Magazine.

Evans is currently the senior writer for the website AmericaSpace.com, where he covers space history, launches and International Space Station news. He has written nine previous books for the Springer-Praxis imprint, including NASA’s Voyager Missions (2003), Space Shuttle Columbia (2005), and Space Shuttle Challenger (2006). More recently, Evans wrote a six-volume History of Human Space Exploration, published between 2009 to 2014.