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Though its missions may now seem routine, NASA's space shuttle is one of the most complex machines ever designed, and this video from the Discovery Channel provides a stunning look at man's most advanced flying machine. The history of the shuttle's development, as well as the brilliant innovations that made its flights possible, are explained clearly in a narration delivered by actor Gary Sinise, and the statistics presented about the vehicle (more than 9,000 tons of satellites put into orbit along with more than 230 astronauts) are impressive. But the real stars of this production are the amazing visuals provided by footage shot during shuttle missions and blastoffs as well as during training sessions for crew members. Computer animations provide a fascinating look at the shuttle's floor plan and living arrangements, and the camera ventures deep into the interior of the shuttle's engine compartments (and even inside the massive engines) during periods when the spaceship is being serviced in its hangar. The four shuttles in the NASA fleet (the fifth vehicle, the
Challenger, was destroyed in a 1986 accident), are sometimes referred to as "space truck," and the process of launching, flying, landing, and readying the shuttles to fly again is explained fully. This is not only a highly informative documentary, but one that is a joy to watch.
--Robert J. McNamara
