Disasters and Accidents in Manned Spaceflight [Paperback]

David J. Shayler (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1852332255 | ISBN-13: 978-1852332259 | Publication Date: June 15, 2000 | Edition: 1st Edition.

Here, Dave Shayler examines the hurdles faced by space crews as they prepare and embark on space missions. Divided into six parts, the text opens with the fateful, tragic mission of the Challenger crew in 1986. This is followed by a review of the risks that accompany every space trip and the unique environment in which the space explorer lives and works. The next four sections cover the four parts of any space flight (training, launch, in-flight and recovery) and present major historical incidents in each case. The final section looks at the next forty years beyond the Earth's atmosphere, beginning with the International Space Station and moving on to the difficulties inherent in a manned exploration of Mars.

Product Details

• Paperback: 470 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1st Edition. edition (June 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852332255
• ISBN-13: 978-1852332259
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,479,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Encyclopedic listing of 'problems' in space, June 26, 2001

By 

Richard Frantz Jr. (Cheshire, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Disasters and Accidents in Manned Spaceflight (Paperback)

A detailed history of every accident with space hardware. From stratospheric balloon experiments and rocket planes to the space shuttle.

Includes extensive material on Soviet space history and accidents which may not be available elsewhere and may be worth the price of the book to those interested in space exploration.

The information is logically divided into training, launch, orbit and reentry with summaries and what was learned from it.

Is it possible to know too much about an accident? Well, I learned more than I wanted to about the Apollo 1 and Challenger accidents (I wanted to get past them because they were so tragic) but there is a great depth of detail to learn from here.

Stories of people reaching for that little extra bit of courage to deal with the worst case scenario. And what happens when space age technology doesn't quite work and what we can learn from it.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Extremely Interesting Book, March 5, 2001

By 

John R. Keller (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Disasters and Accidents in Manned Spaceflight (Paperback)

While the title of this book may seem a bit gruesome, I found this book to be one of the most interesting books related to manned spaceflight. Oftentimes, we hear about the great triumphs of the space program, but unless it is a great disaster, the problems encountered in spaceflight are often overlooked. This book covers all aspects of spaceflight (training, flight, EVA, etc.) from the early pioneering days right up to the present. The book includes a great deal on the Soviet space program that I have not seen before.

The book opens with the daring adventures of the early manned ballooning experiments and the goal of the setting a record altitude. I was quite impressed with what was accomplished in the 1920's and 1930's. The book then proceeds to the various experimental X-planes and the problems encountered with these projects.

After this brief, but very informative introduction, the book examines the era of manned spaceflight. The book is divided into four main areas: training, launch, space travel, and re-entry. Each of the main areas examines all the major and minor problems encountered with these aspects of spaceflight. As one would expect, the book covers the major spaceflight disasters, like Apollo 1, the Challenger explosion, Apollo 13, but it also includes even the smallest problems like the lunar explorers falling down or urine leaks in the shuttle EVA suits. It was interesting to see that the have been many more problems, though minor ones, in manned spaceflight than has been reported in the press.

The book contains numerous rarely seen photographs and drawings. If you're interested in manned space flight, this book provides a fascinating and unique view of the dangerous side of space travel.