NASA Space Shuttle

40th Anniversary

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Pub Date 25 May 2021 | Archive Date 29 Apr 2021

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Description

Written and curated by recognized historians of space exploration, NASA Space Shuttle: 40th Anniversary is the authoritative photo history of the iconic space program.

Officially known as the Space Transportation System (STS), the Space Shuttle program operated from 1981 to 2011. During that time, five Shuttle systems took part in 135 missions under the operation of NASA. This approach—namely reusable spacecraft—revolutionized space exploration. NASA Space Shuttle: 40th Anniversary traces the STS’s 30-year operational history. Essays by former NASA chief historian Roger Launius are accompanied by a collection of incredible Shuttle photography and imagery mined from the depths of NASA’s archives by aerospace historian Piers Bizony—all of it presented in large-format color.

Readers will witness the pre-1981 evolution, the missions, astronauts, ground personnel and infrastructure, and amazing accomplishments of the Shuttle program and its spacecraft: Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour. From the launch site at Cape Kennedy, Florida, to mission control in Houston, Texas, to the landing site at Edwards Air Force Base, all aspects of Shuttle operation are covered, including key roles in efforts such as the Hubble Telescope and International Space Station, as well as the tragedies of Challenger and Columbia disasters.

Every carefully chosen image in NASA Space Shuttle: 40th Anniversary tells an aspect of the Shuttle story. The resulting book is not only a unique view of a key chapter of NASA history—it’s a compelling collection of stunning NASA photography and illustrations.
Written and curated by recognized historians of space exploration, NASA Space Shuttle: 40th Anniversary is the authoritative photo history of the iconic space program.

Officially known as the Space...

Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780760370049
PRICE US$50.00 (USD)
PAGES 192

Average rating from 11 members


Featured Reviews

This book was a fab celebration of 40 years of exploration into the stars via the amazing feats of engineering and science that are the Space Shuttles.

The layout of this book makes for very fun and easy reading, with the most beautiful photos, pictures and accompanying text.

From its origins, to the space race, engineering involved and history of this type of space flight, this short little informative book packs in plenty of information for the reader to learn about these revolutionary space missions. From the successes to the failures, this book was a great little guide to all things space shuttle and was a pleasant small read which could happily be read in one sitting (exactly what I did!).

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This was an amazing book of the history of the NASA Space Shuttle. The pictures and anecdotes were beautiful. This would be good for any space enthusiast, probably middle school or older. I cannot say enough about the photographs!

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Absolutely BEAUTIFUL coffee table book. The chapters consist of a easy to read history of the space shuttle program, and countless stunning photographs. While you CAN read it on a digital device, it has a MUCH bigger impact in print.

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This book sums up the Space Shuttle program 30-year-long history in 4 chapters: Building the Bird (Origins of the Space Shuttle), Loss and Recovery (Learning from Lethal Mistakes), Inhabiting Orbit (Shuttles, Telescopes, and Stations) and Honor and Legacy (The Shuttle Story in Perspective). The book is relatively light on text, but still manages to deliver to-the-point overview of successes and failures of the program. Where it shines and why you should consider buying this book is the first rate quality photodocumentation from NASA's archives - stunning photographs taken both on land and in space convey the sense of wonder and accomplishment better than any text could. Highly recommended.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Like so many other kids, I dreamed of being an astronaut and swimming in the sea of space. I was captivated by the shuttle that carried brave men and women there. When a launch was planned, I was front and center in front of the TV or reading the print coverage, word for word. This book is a tribute to those with the same spirit of space adventures. Stunning historical photos bring poignant moments to life and remind us all of the journey of space exploration. Allow yourself to live vicariously through these images and keep dreaming of what is yet to come. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

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This is an amazing and engaging book for enthusiasts and occasional dipping in to by anyone interested in the amazing history of the Space Shuttle. The beautiful images speak for themselves and it would be a more talented reviewer than this one to do them justice. The development of the Shuttle is well-documented as well as beautifully illustrated and demonstrates what a challenge it was to develop a fully reusable space transportation system - the difficulty demonstrated by the two fatal accidents involving Challenger and Columbia shuttle craft.

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Space is exciting! Science is exciting! History is exciting! Combine all three, and enjoy this pictorial and well-researched account of how and why the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Space Shuttle came into being and its first 40 years of existence!

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