Wheels Stop : The Tragedies and Triumphs of the Space Shuttle Program, 1986-2011

Rick Houston

ISBN 10: 0803235348 / ISBN 13: 9780803235342

Published by Nebraska Dez 2013, 2013

About this Item

Neuware - Humanity s first reusable spacecraft and the most complex machine ever built, NASA s Space Shuttle debuted with great promise and as a dependable source of wonder and national pride. But with the Challenger catastrophe in 1986, the whole Space Shuttle program came into question, as did NASA itself, so long an institution that was seemingly above reproach. Wheels Stop tells the stirring story of how, after the Challenger disaster, the Space Shuttle not only recovered but went on to perform its greatest missions. From the Return to Flight mission of STS-26 in 1988 to the last shuttle mission ever on STS-135 in 2011, Wheels Stop takes readers behind the scenes as the shuttle s crews begin to mend Cold War tensions with the former Soviet Union, conduct vital research, deploy satellites, repair the Hubble Space Telescope, and assist in constructing the International Space Station. It also tells the heart-wrenching story of the Columbia tragedy and the loss of the magnificent STS-107 crew. As complex as the shuttle was, the people it carried into orbit were often more so-and this is their story, too. Close encounters with astronauts, flight controllers, and shuttle workers capture the human side of the Space Shuttle s amazing journey-and invite readers along for the ride.

Seller Inventory # 9780803235342

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Wheels Stop : The Tragedies and Triumphs of the Space Shuttle Program, 1986-2011
• Publisher: Nebraska Dez 2013
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0803235348
• ISBN 13: 9780803235342
• Binding: Buch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 236W x 159H x 43D millimeters 236 millimeters width by 159 millimeters height by 43 millimeters depth
• Weight: 804 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Humanity’s first reusable spacecraft and the most complex machine ever built, NASA’s Space Shuttle debuted with great promise and as a dependable source of wonder and national pride. But with the Challenger catastrophe in 1986, the whole Space Shuttle program came into question, as did NASA itself, so long an institution that was seemingly above reproach. Wheels Stop tells the stirring story of how, after the Challenger disaster, the Space Shuttle not only recovered but went on to perform its greatest missions.

From the Return to Flight mission of STS-26 in 1988 to the last shuttle mission ever on STS-135 in 2011, Wheels Stop takes readers behind the scenes as the shuttle’s crews begin to mend Cold War tensions with the former Soviet Union, conduct vital research, deploy satellites, repair the Hubble Space Telescope, and assist in constructing the International Space Station. It also tells the heart-wrenching story of the Columbia tragedy and the loss of the magnificent STS-107 crew.

As complex as the shuttle was, the people it carried into orbit were often more so—and this is their story, too. Close encounters with astronauts, flight controllers, and shuttle workers capture the human side of the Space Shuttle’s amazing journey—and invite readers along for the ride.

About the Author

Rick Houston, a full-time journalist for nearly thirty years, has written or contributed to eleven books. He is the coauthor of Go, Flight! The Unsung Heroes of Mission Control, 1965–1992 (Nebraska, 2015) and consultant and associate editor of the documentary film Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo. Jerry Ross, a former astronaut, shares the world record for the most spaceflights flown, with seven to his credit. He is the author of Spacewalker.