To Orbit and Back Again: How the Space Shuttle Flew in Space (Springer Praxis Books) - Softcover

Sivolella, Davide

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1461409829 ISBN 13: 9781461409823

Publisher: Springer, 2013

Synopsis

The Space Shuttle has been the dominant machine in the U.S. space program for thirty years and has generated a great deal of interest among space enthusiasts and engineers. This book enables readers to understand its technical systems in greater depth than they have been able to do so before.

The author describes the structures and systems of the Space Shuttle, and then follows a typical mission, explaining how the structures and systems were used in the launch, orbital operations and the return to Earth. Details of how anomalous events were dealt with on individual missions are also provided, as are the recollections of those who built and flew the Shuttle. Many photographs and technical drawings illustrate how the Space Shuttle functions, avoiding the use of complicated technical jargon.

The book is divided into two sections: Part 1 describes each subsystem in a technical style, supported by diagrams, technical drawings, and photographs to enable a better understanding of the concepts. Part 2 examines different flight phases, from liftoff to landing. Technical material has been obtained from NASA as well as from other forums and specialists.

Author Davide Sivolella is an aerospace engineer with a life-long interest in space and is ideally qualified to interpret technical manuals for a wider audience. This book provides comprehensive coverage of the topic including the evolution of given subsystems, reviewing the different configurations, and focusing on the solutions implemented.

About this title

About the Author

Davide Sivolella was born in Pinerolo, Italy, in 1981. As a child, he developed a fascination with all kinds of flying machines, especially those which travel above the atmosphere. This passion for astronautics led to bacheklor's and master's degrees in Aerospace Engineering from the Polytechnic of Turin (Italy). He then worked as a specialist in aircraft structural repairs odf civil airliners in the United Kingsom. He thinks of aircraft as spacecraft that fly low and slow. To Orbit and Back Again: How the Space Shuttle Flew in Space is his first book, born from a life-long passion for the Space Shuttle program. Apart from his fondness for human space exploration, and writing about it, he also enjoys cooking, traveling, and landscape photography. He currently lives in England near London with his Spanish wife Monica.

From the Back Cover

The question may be simple, but the answer is not as easy to give. This book describes the structures and systems used each time the Shuttle was launched, and then follows an imaginary mission, explaining how those structures and systems were used in orbital operations and the return to Earth. Details of how anomalous events were dealt with on individual missions are also provided, as are the recollections of those who built and flew the Shuttle.

Highly illustrated with many diagrams, photographs and technical drawings, To Orbit and Back Again

• focuses on the engineering aspects of the Shuttle

• describes the systems and subsystems in clear, non-technical terms

• brings to the fore the design work behind the Space Shuttle and the mission itself.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1461409829
• ISBN 13: 9781461409823
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 524