The History of Developing the National Space Transportation System the Beginning Through Sts-50 [Hardcover]

Dennis Jenkins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1993

This eighty year history chronicles the development of reusable lifting-reentry spacecraft. From the early theoretical works of Eugen Sanger in Germany in the 1920s, through the Cold War developments in the United States, and finally to the ultimate flight experiment - the Space Shuttle. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first space shuttle launch, this greatly expanded 3rd edition adds previously uncovered early designs, details the latest modifications to the operational vehicles, explores some of the proposed future upgrades, and provides expanded coverage of the first one hundred Space Shuttle missions. To fully understand the magnitude of the problem facing the designers of the Space Shuttle, the book begins with the first proposals for lifting-reentry vehicles and includes comprehensive background on early research and application of space and rocket technology. These include such vehicles as the X-15, lifting-bodies, Aerospaceplane, and Dyna-Soar. An in-depth examination of the controversial decision to make Space Shuttle the only launch vehicle in the United States is presented, as are the implications of incorporating a variety of military requirements into the final vehicle. The budgetary considerations that drove the program from a fully-reusable two-stage concept to the partially-expendable fractional-stage design that was finally built are also covered. A chapter is devoted to a detailed technical description of the vehicle and the changes to it over the years. Other chapters cover the political and budgetary aspects of getting the program approved, the requisite testing of the vehicle including detailed coverage of the Approach and Landing Tests, and two chapters covering the 100 missions flown to-date and the tragic Challenger accident and the recovery from it. This is the third, totally revised and updated edition of a hugely successful title which was last published in 1996; The author is an acknowledged expert on the program, having spent 20 years as an engineer and manager on various aspects of it.; Detailed tables list actual flight data derived from post-flight analysis by NASA engineers (not public affairs or news report speculative data) and list all significant aspects of solid rocket performance, main engine performance, weights, orbital characteristics, and ferry flights.; Educated speculation from knowledgeable observers is provided on the exact nature of the nine 'secret' Department of Defense missions flown.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 21 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks Intl (June 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963397419
• ISBN-13: 978-0963397416
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,487,329 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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