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Author Topic:   Recommendations for books about the space shuttle
UKRuss2
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Posts: 34
From: UK
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 06-13-2007 09:12 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for UKRuss2   Click Here to Email UKRuss2     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A life-long Mercury/Gemini/Apollo enthusiast I have read pretty much everything on that era.

I have never been interested in the Space Shuttle era until I read Mike Mullane's outstanding 'Riding Rockets'.

Can anyone recommend any other good books about the space shuttle or written by shuttle astronauts?

Jim
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Posts: 73
From: San Antonio TX
Registered: Mar 2006

posted 06-13-2007 12:44 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jim   Click Here to Email Jim     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"Sky Walking' by Tom Jones

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 06-13-2007 12:53 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
  • "Entering Space" by Joe Allen, Stuart, Tabori, and Chang, 1984
  • "An Astronaut's Diary" by Jeffrey Hoffman, Caliban Press, 1986
  • "Mission: An American Congressman's Voyage to Space" by Bill Nelson, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988
  • "Reflections from Earth Orbit" by Winston Scott, C.G. Publishing (Apogee), 2005

FFrench
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Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 06-13-2007 01:25 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FFrench     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I love the Hoffman book, although it is hard to get hold of these days.

Here is another written by shuttle astronauts - nice, as there are many of them contributing.

spacecraft guy
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Posts: 37
From: San Francisco, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2006

posted 06-13-2007 06:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for spacecraft guy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Not written by an astronaut but very good about how a shuttle crew assembled and trained is:

Before Lift-Off - Henry S.F. Cooper, Johns Hopkins University Press

One of the best books about the shuttle program that I've read, and a great companion book to Riding Rockets.

Lunatiki
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Posts: 237
From: Amarillo, TX, USA
Registered: Dec 2006

posted 06-13-2007 06:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lunatiki     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Although not actually by astronauts, I'd highly recommend Space Shuttle: The First 20 years. The Astronauts' Experiences In Their Own Words by the editors of Air & Space/Smithsonian Magazine. Its a big hardback book, with great images. For great technical information, Space Shuttle: The History of the National Space Transportation System by Dennis R. Jenkins. Excellent reference material.

UKRuss2
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Posts: 34
From: UK
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 06-14-2007 05:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for UKRuss2   Click Here to Email UKRuss2     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Many thanks for the suggestions. Several titles now on order.

alanh_7
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Posts: 1252
From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Apr 2008

posted 07-14-2011 07:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for alanh_7   Click Here to Email alanh_7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
What would be considered the definitive book about the space shuttle. Has it been written yet?

I have always thought Dennis Jenkins' book "Space Shuttle: The First 100 Missions" might be considered but is there another? I would be interested in the forum's opinion.

Editor's note: Threads merged.

garymilgrom
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Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 07-14-2011 07:21 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for garymilgrom   Click Here to Email garymilgrom     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'm not sure one book can cover a 30 year program, even longer when you consider the design and development. The book you mention is very good, here are some others:
  • The two books on the design by T. A. Heppenheimer
  • Space Shuttle: The First 20 Years, The Astronauts' Experiences in Their Own Words by DK Publishing
  • Wings In Orbit by Wayne Hale and NASA
And finally David Baker is working on a large overview of the program — thinking about David's reference work on Mercury, Gemini and Apollo (The History of Manned Spaceflight) this might be the "one book" you're looking for.

MarylandSpace
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posted 07-14-2011 09:28 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MarylandSpace   Click Here to Email MarylandSpace     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have the the Space Shuttle: First 20 Years book.

Great essays and perspectives from the astronauts themselves. I really like it.

Fezman92
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Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010

posted 07-14-2011 10:38 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Fezman92   Click Here to Email Fezman92     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I agree. First 20 Years is a great book. I picked mine up about six years ago at the National Air and Space Museum.

Rick
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Posts: 379
From: Yadkinville, NC
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 07-15-2011 01:32 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rick   Click Here to Email Rick     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I don't know that it will be the "definitive" account of the Space Shuttle program, but I'm hard at work on a volume covering the aftermath of the Challenger accident through the last flight for the University of Nebraska Press' Outward Odyssey Series.

I cannot begin to venture a guess on how many times I've e-mailed Colin Burgess, excited about an interview that I've just conducted. The manuscript is not due until spring of next year, with publication slated for the year after that.

All I can say is this... the book will not read like a technical manual, because I am not an engineer, test pilot, scientist or astronaut, and I cannot pretend to be. What I'm shooting for is to document the human story of the Space Shuttle program ... what it was like to fly and work on such a magnificent vehicle.

Without letting the cat out of the bag too much, here's one quote from STS-114 mission specialist Charlie Camarda that has resonated with me ever since we spoke. On how he reacted to the experience of being launched into space for the first time, Charlie said, "You're gonna have to ask Wendy Lawrence. She was sitting right next to me, and what Wendy Lawrence says is that I was just laughing and grabbing her hand and shaking her the whole time we were going up."

How many of us would not give almost anything to have that same kind of reaction?

Gooner Dave
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Posts: 12
From: Worcester, England
Registered: Oct 2014

posted 01-01-2015 06:28 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gooner Dave   Click Here to Email Gooner Dave     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
What is the best space shuttle book to read? Looking for the best history, pictures.

Editor's note: Threads merged.

nasamad
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Posts: 2121
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Jul 2001

posted 01-01-2015 08:33 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for nasamad   Click Here to Email nasamad     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I haven't bought any books on the space shuttle for a few years but I see there is one by Piers Bizony. I haven't read it but I'm yet to read a book of his that I don't like. If I was in the market that would be high on the list.

sev8n
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Posts: 233
From: Dallas TX USA
Registered: Jul 2012

posted 01-01-2015 10:11 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for sev8n     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
There are plenty of 'picture' books out there, many are mentioned in this forum.

For history of the shuttle I think the Dennis Jenkins book(s) stand alone.

randy
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Posts: 2176
From: West Jordan, Utah USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 01-01-2015 12:19 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for randy   Click Here to Email randy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Here's one that I don't see mentioned: "The Space Shuttle Operators Manual" by Kerry Mark Joels, Gregory P. Kennedy and David Larkin.

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