The Space Shuttle: Celebrating Thirty Years of NASA's First Space Plane

by Piers Bizony

This superbly designed and lavishly illustrated book marks a special moment in history: the final mission of the space shuttle. Noted space and science author Piers Bizony has put together a retrospective that covers the entire space shuttle program. In addition to covering every space shuttle mission, the book also covers the development and design of the space shuttle, as well as the technical specifications of the vehicle and details of its major assemblies and subassemblies. A full double-gatefold provides a large-scale technical drawing of the space shuttle.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

300 pages, Hardcover

First published June 15, 2011

About the author

Piers Bizony is a science journalist and space historian who writes for magazines such as Focus and Wired as well as the Independent. His award-winning book on Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey was described as 'full of sparkling enthusiasm' by the New Scientist and 'excellent, in every way worthy of Kubrick's original precision-crafted vision' by the Evening Standard.

Reviews

[Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book #53 of the EBN Challenge at my Library.
Challenge Topic: A book set in outer space.

This was an amazingly put together book detailing the history of the NASA's Shuttle program up until 2011. The pictures are outstanding.

If you like space and are interested in this history. I recommend this book.

[Jim Gallen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of us thrilled at the accomplishments of the Space Shuttle program and mourned its tragedies and would appreciate a look back at its history. If you are one of those, find a comfortable chair, maybe on your porch or by your fire, pour your favorite drink and open “The Space Shuttle: Celebrating Thirty Years of Nasa’s First Space Plane”.

Its seven “stages” each begin with a narrative explaining that particular phase of the program, its inception, development, and closure, its crossroads, its highs and lows, its accomplishments and its lost heroes. After the introduction each stage contains a summary of every shuttle mission with dates, orbiter, crew and significant missions.

The most enticing feature of this book is its pictures. The cover shows Discovery with its open cargo bay and Canada Arm silhouetted against earth and space. On page after page we see equipment and crew, rockets and orbiter, launches and landings, life aboard and space walks, space stations and satellites and incredible blues and whites and stark black.

Author Piers Bizony has created a work that will rekindle memories and introduce us to details that had slid by as we lived our lives and while the shuttle explored overhead. It took me back to the day when a friend suggested that we have lunch at Charlie’s with its big screen television to watch the first landing, and an awesome sight it was. Pick up “The Space Shuttle”, savor your own memories and enjoy.

I did receive a free copy of this book to read and review.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting coffee table size book on the history of the Space Shuttle. The only criticism I have is that the author only devotes one or two pages to a mission and also tended to go for large photos. Would have been more interesting to have more variety in the photos and at least 4 pages per mission.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coffee-table books are weird to read. This one was fun preparation to see Endeavour in Los Angeles last week though. Good, even-handed essays, and amazing photos.