posted 05-09-2016 11:23 PM               

During 30 years and 135 missions, space shuttle carried more crew members to orbit than all other launch systems combined and achieved a staggering record of success. Unfortunately, it was accompanied by a tragic record of failure, with two accidents claiming the lives of fourteen astronauts and other incidents claiming several ground personnel. But as Richard Truly, an astronaut and NASA administrator once said, "Flying in space is a bold business. We cannot print enough money to make it totally risk-free." It was not meant as an excuse, simply a statement of fact regarding the physics of planet earth and chemical rockets.

Because it flew for so long, most of the people alive today do not remember a time when space shuttle was not flying. The public was enthralled, the politicians somewhat less so, the space cadets even less. Space shuttle was meant as a stepping-stone to broader exploration but the funding and political will never materialized, leaving the vehicle with little meaningful work for most of its flight campaign. Only near the end was it able to demonstrate its intended purpose, building a space station. But that station was a shell of those envisioned when space shuttle was approved.

All of this has left an uncertain legacy for one of the most visible engineering achievements of the 20th century. This book is not meant to establish that legacy, but to document the development, technology, and, to a lesser extent, the flight campaign. Some future historian will need to determine the ultimate worthiness of the program. About all we can say for certain is that it was one hell of a ride.

• Volume I: Setting the Stage
  
• Volume II: Technical Description
  
• Volume III: The Flight Campaign

• Hardcover, 1,584 pages
  
• Specialty Press, November 2016 2017
  
• ISBN: 978-1-58007-249-6

posted 10-26-2016 04:11 PM               

• Foreword by Story Musgrave
  
• Three volumes, each 528 pages, full color (1,584 pages total)
  
• Total of 3,922 pieces of art (2,923 photos and 999 pieces of line art)
  
• Majority of the photos are color
  
• Main text runs 884,911 words
  
• Captions are another 157,000 words (estimated)
  
• Footnotes are 113,631 words
  
• Index has 3,258 entries
  
• Slipcase and faux leather covers, no jackets

posted 11-26-2016 11:12 AM            

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Originally posted by GoesTo11:
There were three previous editions of Dennis' book.

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Search "Aerofax Datagraph 5."

posted 11-26-2016 12:16 PM               

When I wrote the mini-edition of what became this book in 1988, the response was overwhelmingly positive, leading me to write the first of the expanded hardcover editions. By the time I finished in 1991, however, Aerofax was largely out of business and other publishers said there would never be a market for more than 500 copies of a book on space shuttle; all declined to publish it. Believing there was a story to be told, I published the book myself. Roger D. Launius, then chief historian at NASA, took notice and coached me on how to make the book more authoritative; the improvement was evident in later editions. By late 2016, more than 100,000 copies of three editions had passed.

This is more than an update to the previous edition; it is a complete rewrite and will obviously be the last.

posted 12-11-2016 12:20 PM               

Specialty Press is expected to begin taking pre-orders sometime this week. The book is scheduled to begin shipping mid-February.

posted 12-16-2016 02:54 PM               

Shipping and handling fees for this product need to be determined - this set weighs over 18 pounds! Please check back in the coming days to order.

posted 12-22-2016 05:35 PM               

Due to this collection's heavy weight (18 lbs) non-standard shipping costs apply. See shopping cart for details.

posted 12-23-2016 12:35 AM               

I've been looking forward to this final edition covering the complete program since finding my first used copy of the 1992/1993 hardcover version six years ago.

posted 12-24-2016 08:27 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by sev8n:
Ordered. UPS Ground shipping was quoted as $30.

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posted 12-25-2016 08:25 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Merkaw:
Totally agree. Have had so many dented book corners from when Amazon sellers ships book in plain envelopes.

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I am concerned about this as well. My experience with amazon shipping mirrors yours, except I have received books directly from amazon packed loose in a larger box, absolutely no packing inside, and corners are dented and covers scratched. Replacements received after returning damaged books to amazon were shipped the same.

posted 12-26-2016 07:07 AM               

The crew photos in the book (official, gag, in space or alternate) are not full page. They are between 1/6 and 1/4 a page.