| |
| |
| |
| The Beginnings | |
| |
| |
| Background | |
| |
| |
| Sanger and Bredt | |
| |
| |
| Early Experiments | |
| |
| |
| Von Braun's Dream | |
| |
| |
| The First X-Planes | |
| |
| |
| Round Two | |
| |
| |
| Onward to Mach 10 (or not) | |
| |
| |
| |
| Dynamic Soaring | |
| |
| |
| Skip-Gliding | |
| |
| |
| BoMi, RoBo, and Brass Bell | |
| |
| |
| Hywards | |
| |
| |
| The Final RoBo Configurations | |
| |
| |
| Passengers in Space | |
| |
| |
| The Sleek and Winged Spacecraft Called Dyna-Soar | |
| |
| |
| Phase Alpha | |
| |
| |
| Dyna-Soar Description | |
| |
| |
| But Why? | |
| |
| |
| Cancelled Now, Forever More | |
| |
| |
| |
| Wingless Flight | |
| |
| |
| Of Blunt Shapes and Lifting-Bodies | |
| |
| |
| Precision Recovery | |
| |
| |
| Manned Lifting-Bodies | |
| |
| |
| Air Force Efforts | |
| |
| |
| Pilot | |
| |
| |
| HYFAC, NHFRF, and Other Dreams | |
| |
| |
| Mini-Shuttle | |
| |
| |
| |
| Concept Exploration | |
| |
| |
| ASSET | |
| |
| |
| American Indian | |
| |
| |
| Aerospaceplane | |
| |
| |
| Convair Spaceplane | |
| |
| |
| Enter the Scramjet | |
| |
| |
| Recoverable Orbital Launch System | |
| |
| |
| Manned Reconnaissance Vehicle | |
| |
| |
| Other Early Efforts | |
| |
| |
| Reusable Aerospace Passenger Transport | |
| |
| |
| Air Force Reusable Launch Vehicles | |
| |
| |
| AFFDL and Stage-and-a-Half | |
| |
| |
| The Little Guys | |
| |
| |
| |
| Grand Ambition | |
| |
| |
| Let the Games Begin | |
| |
| |
| Choosing a Configuration - Phase A | |
| |
| |
| The STG and SSTG | |
| |
| |
| Main Engine Phase A | |
| |
| |
| McDonnell Douglas (NAS9-9204) | |
| |
| |
| North American Rockwell (NAS9-9205) | |
| |
| |
| Lockheed (NAS9-9206) | |
| |
| |
| General Dynamics / Convair (NAS9-9207) | |
| |
| |
| Martin Marietta (No NASA Contract Issued) | |
| |
| |
| Political Considerations | |
| |
| |
| DoD Requirements | |
| |
| |
| Dissension Within NASA - the MSC DC-3 | |
| |
| |
| Phase a Conclusions | |
| |
| |
| Refining the Configuration - Phase B | |
| |
| |
| Main Engine Phase B | |
| |
| |
| Revision | |
| |
| |
| McDonnell Douglas / Martin Marietta (NAS9-10959) | |
| |
| |
| North American Rockwell (NAS9-10960) | |
| |
| |
| Reorganization | |
| |
| |
| Alternate Concepts | |
| |
| |
| Chrysler (NAS8-26341) | |
| |
| |
| Lockheed (NAS8-26362) | |
| |
| |
| Grumman / Boeing (NAS9-11160) | |
| |
| |
| Another Revision | |
| |
| |
| |
| Lower Expectations | |
| |
| |
| The Rules of the Game Change | |
| |
| |
| Gaining Ground | |
| |
| |
| Phase B Prime | |
| |
| |
| But No DoD Money | |
| |
| |
| Phased Development | |
| |
| |
| Solid Rocket Development | |
| |
| |
| Choosing a Launch Site | |
| |
| |
| Safety in Earth Orbit | |
| |
| |
| A Hot Issue | |
| |
| |
| Phase B Double Prime | |
| |
| |
| Another Idea | |
| |
| |
| Getting Closer | |
| |
| |
| Finally, A Decision | |
| |
| |
| The Final Configuration | |
| |
| |
| Orbiter Phase C/D | |
| |
| |
| Grumman / Boeing | |
| |
| |
| Lockheed | |
| |
| |
| McDonnell Douglas | |
| |
| |
| North American Rockwell | |
| |
| |
| Orbiter Contract Award | |
| |
| |
| Main Engine Phase C/D and Award | |
| |
| |
| SRB Phase C/D and Award | |
| |
| |
| ET Phase C/D and Award | |
| |
| |
| Evolutionary Changes | |
| |
| |
| |
| Getting Ready | |
| |
| |
| Shuttle Carrier Aircraft | |
| |
| |
| It's a Bird; It's a Plane | |
| |
| |
| Structural Dynamics | |
| |
| |
| Space, The Final Frontier | |
| |
| |
| The Test Vehicle - Enterprise | |
| |
| |
| Other Testing | |
| |
| |
| SSME Qualification | |
| |
| |
| SRB Qualification | |
| |
| |
| ET Qualification | |
| |
| |
| Advanced Vehicle Automation | |
| |
| |
| An Important Mission - Rescue Skylab | |
| |
| |
| Department of Defense Support | |
| |
| |
| Those Pesky Tiles | |
| |
| |
| In Production at Last | |
| |
| |
| Upper Stages | |
| |
| |
| Fifth Orbiter Debate | |
| |
| |
| The Final Push | |
| |
| |
| What's in a Name? | |
| |
| |
| Orbiter Names | |
| |
| |
| |
| Broken in Mid-Stride | |
| |
| |
| Flight Profile | |
| |
| |
| Orbital Mechanics | |
| |
| |
| Aborts | |
| |
| |
| Final Preparations | |
| |
| |
| The First Twenty-Five Flights | |
| |
| |
| The Accident | |
| |
| |
| The Analysis | |
| |
| |
| The Findings | |
| |
| |
| The Recommendations | |
| |
| |
| SRB Requalification | |
| |
| |
| Rethinking Aborts and Escapes | |
| |
| |
| What was Launched Before 51-L | |
| |
| |
| Government Payloads | |
| |
| |
| Commercial Consequences of the Accident | |
| |
| |
| Subsidies? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Return to Flight | |
| |
| |
| A Long 32 Months | |
| |
| |
| The Second Twenty-Five Flights | |
| |
| |
| Grounded, Again | |
| |
| |
| The Third Twenty-Five Flights | |
| |
| |
| The Fourth Twenty-Five Flights | |
| |
| |
| Grounded, Yet Again | |
| |
| |
| Independent Assessment | |
| |
| |
| Preparing to Fly | |
| |
| |
| Post-Challenger Missions | |
| |
| |
| DoD Missions | |
| |
| |
| Mission Data Tables | |
| |
| |
| |
| Technical Description | |
| |
| |
| The Players | |
| |
| |
| Space Shuttle Coordinate System | |
| |
| |
| Location Codes | |
| |
| |
| Orbiter | |
| |
| |
| Forward Fuselage | |
| |
| |
| Crew Module | |
| |
| |
| Flight Deck | |
| |
| |
| Multifunction CRT Display System | |
| |
| |
| Dedicated Displays | |
| |
| |
| Multifunction Electronic Display System | |
| |
| |
| Closed-Circuit TV System and Cameras | |
| |
| |
| Mid-Deck | |
| |
| |
| Airlock | |
| |
| |
| Orbiter Docking System | |
| |
| |
| Mid-Fuselage | |
| |
| |
| Payload Bay Doors | |
| |
| |
| Payload Deployment and Retrieval System | |
| |
| |
| Purge, Vent, and Drain System | |
| |
| |
| Aft-Fuselage | |
| |
| |
| Body Flap | |
| |
| |
| Wings | |
| |
| |
| Vertical Stabilizer | |
| |
| |
| Orbital Maneuvering System | |
| |
| |
| Reaction Control System | |
| |
| |
| Electrical Power | |
| |
| |
| Environmental Control and Life Support | |
| |
| |
| Thermal Protection System | |
| |
| |
| Avionics | |
| |
| |
| Communications | |
| |
| |
| Data Processing System | |
| |
| |
| Landing Gear | |
| |
| |
| Brakes | |
| |
| |
| Drag Chute | |
| |
| |
| Main Propulsion System | |
| |
| |
| Space Shuttle Main Engines | |
| |
| |
| Disconnect Valves | |
| |
| |
| Power Heads | |
| |
| |
| Hot Gas Manifold and Combustion Chamber | |
| |
| |
| Nozzle | |
| |
| |
| MPS Propellant Management Subsystem | |
| |
| |
| Pogo Suppression Subsystem | |
| |
| |
| Main Engine Controllers | |
| |
| |
| Thrust Vector Control | |
| |
| |
| Engine Start and Ascent | |
| |
| |
| SSME Enhancements | |
| |
| |
| High-Pressure Turbopumps | |
| |
| |
| Two-Duct Powerhead and Heat Exchanger | |
| |
| |
| Large Throat Main Combustion Chamber | |
| |
| |
| Block I | |
| |
| |
| Block IIA | |
| |
| |
| Block II | |
| |
| |
| External Tank | |
| |
| |
| Liquid Oxygen Tank | |
| |
| |
| Intertank | |
| |
| |
| Liquid Hydrogen Tank | |
| |
| |
| ET Thermal Protection System | |
| |
| |
| Systems | |
| |
| |
| Light-Weight Tank | |
| |
| |
| Composite Nose Cone | |
| |
| |
| Super Light-Weight Tank | |
| |
| |
| Solid Rocket Boosters | |
| |
| |
| Construction | |
| |
| |
| Propellant | |
| |
| |
| Structure | |
| |
| |
| Electronics | |
| |
| |
| Ignition | |
| |
| |
| Electrical and Hydraulic Systems | |
| |
| |
| Nozzle | |
| |
| |
| SRB Separation and Recovery | |
| |
| |
| Filament-Wound Cases | |
| |
| |
| Range Safety System | |
| |
| |
| Spacelab | |
| |
| |
| Spacehab | |
| |
| |
| Orbiter Maintenance and Refurbishment | |
| |
| |
| Columbia OV-102 Micro-Modification | |
| |
| |
| Columbia (OV-102) Spacelab Only (SLO) | |
| |
| |
| Columbia (OV-102) Flight 6 Modifications | |
| |
| |
| Columbia (OV-102) Flight 11 EDO Modification | |
| |
| |
| Discovery (OV-103) Flight 14 Modifications (OMDP-1) | |
| |
| |
| Atlantis (OV-104) Flight 12 OMDP-1 | |
| |
| |
| Columbia (OV-102) Flight 17 OMDP-1 | |
| |
| |
| Discovery (OV-103) Flight 21 OMDP-2 | |
| |
| |
| Endeavour (OV-105) Flight 11 OMDP-1 | |
| |
| |
| Atlantis (OV-104) Flight 20 OMDP-2 | |
| |
| |
| Columbia (OV-102) Flight 26 OMDP-2 | |
| |
| |
| Orbiter Weight Statement | |
| |
| |
| |
| To Continue Safely | |
| |
| |
| Shuttle Upgrade Program | |
| |
| |
| Safety Upgrades | |
| |
| |
| Supportability Upgrades | |
| |
| |
| Other Possible Upgrades | |
| |
| |
| Five Segment Booster | |
| |
| |
| Liquid Fly-Back Boosters | |
| |
| |
| |
| Stillborn | |
| |
| |
| Improving the Breed | |
| |
| |
| Sigma Corporation EDIN05 | |
| |
| |
| Shuttle-Derived Vehicles (SDV) | |
| |
| |
| Boeing (NAS9-14710 and NAS8-23395) | |
| |
| |
| Martin Marietta (NAS8-34183) | |
| |
| |
| Shuttle-C | |
| |
| |
| Shuttle-Z | |
| |
| |
| Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) | |
| |
| |
| Liquid Rocket Booster | |
| |
| |
| General Dynamics (NAS8-37137) | |
| |
| |
| Martin Marietta (NAS8-37136) | |
| |
| |
| |
| Sudden Ranch | |
| |
| |
| Rancho de la Concepcion | |
| |
| |
| Manned Orbiting Laboratory | |
| |
| |
| Enter Shuttle | |
| |
| |
| The Problems | |
| |
| |
| |
| Acronyms and Abbreviations | |
| |
| |
| |
| Citations and Notes | |
| |
| |
| |
| Index | |