Space Shuttle Stories

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Experience all 135 NASA space shuttle missions through the words of the astronauts in this beautifully illustrated volume. Featuring over 600 photos from NASA archives, this guide is ideal for space history enthusiasts. The space shuttle, the first reusable spacecraft, achieved numerous milestones and inspired generations during its 30-year run. In this work, shuttle astronaut Tom Jones interviewed more than 130 astronauts, gathering personal vignettes and written accounts from each mission, from Columbia's maiden flight in 1981 to Atlantis's final launch in 2011. This book significantly contributes to the historical record of an important era in spaceflight. Each mission profile includes an astronaut narrative that immerses readers in their experiences, mission data, and captivating photographs rarely seen by the public. The program's six orbiter vehicles—Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour—carried 355 astronauts on missions focused on scientific research, satellite operations, collaboration with the Russian Mir station, Hubble Space Telescope servicing, and International Space Station construction. This volume emphasizes the human experiences behind these monumental missions, capturing the importance and exhilaration of the Space Shuttle era.