Tag Archives: challenger accident
Summer Reading: Indispensable Books on the History of the Space Shuttle
When NASA began work on what became the Space Shuttle at the end of the Apollo program, few recognized how important a part of American life it would become over the next thirty-plus years. While not vast, the literature on … Continue reading
The Space Shuttle and the Expansion of the Astronaut Cadre in Space
The Space Shuttle has proven itself one of the most flexible space vehicles ever flown. Most assuredly, the range of possibilities for operations in orbit expanded dramatically with the launch of Columbia in 1981. Through the end of the program … Continue reading
Recalling the Challenger Accident Thirty Years Ago
Thirty years ago on January 28, 1986, NASA and the nation suffered loss of the space shuttle Challenger during launch from the Kennedy Space Center. Many Americans had been excited about this mission, even more than those that had gone before, … Continue reading
Course Syllabus for “Spaceflight and Society: Exploring the History of the Final Frontier”
Beginning on August 31 I started teaching as an adjunct instructor at the Johns Hopkins University. The course is “Spaceflight and Society: Exploring the History of the Final Frontier.” Only one class meeting thus far, but it has been great … Continue reading
A Chronology of Key Spaceflight Anniversaries for 2011
2011 is a year containing many important anniversaries in space history. I have compiled a basic list of key anniversaries, some of which are already past. Many of the most important, however, are coming soon, especially the upcoming fiftieth anniversaries … Continue reading
Reports, Reports Everywhere, and not a Shuttle Replacement in Sight
Hard to believe, but twenty years ago this December 17, the presidentially chartered Advisory Committee on the Future of the U.S. Space Program issued an especially significant report to the president that recommended the replacement of the Space Shuttle. Chaired … Continue reading
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