PDF-(READ)-The Last of NASA\'s Original Pilot Astronauts: Expanding the Space Frontier in

In this latest Pioneers in Early Spaceflight book the astronaut NASA selections of the late 1960s evolved from two very different requirements The first by NASA was to prepare crewmembers for an expected increase in flights after the first lunar landings and the second was by the USAF to prepare crewmembers for a proposed military space station Though both requirements were to change by the late 1960s both selections were to provide key support and direct involvement during the transition from Apollo to shuttle and in leading managerial positions during the 1990s These selections as a group have been overlooked in accounts of early space explorer involvement in pioneering programs of the first 50 years of human spaceflight exploration This book addresses that oversight and presents an informative and indepth account of their involvement in the space program The background explains why these men were selected at a time of significant change at both NASA and the USAF By blending both the NASA selection in 1966 and the three MOL groups and their transition to NASA in 1969 it is possible to get perspective on these changes as well as provide a comparison with the Soviet program which after losing the Moon landing opted for space station development of a scientific and military nature The findings are supported with research and interviews by both authors over many years as well as with NASA original documentation Contemporary accounts and firsthand interviews with many of the participants offers a fresh and unique approach to recording the 30year story of these astronauts and how their involvement extended from the pioneering years of Gemini to the forwardlooking creation of the International Space Station This book offers a completion to the story of the first American astronaut selections complementing not only the books on the first three NASA groups by Colin Burgess but also the book on the two scientist astronaut group selections by both authors and other titles in the PraxisSpringer space library. Dilvir. . Dhaliwal. Commander/Pilot Astronauts. Pilot . astronauts serve as both Space Shuttle and International Space Station commanders and pilots. During flight, the commander has . . responsibility for the vehicle, crew, mission success and safety of flight. The pilot assists the commander in controlling and operating the . - g - wiseman http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts National Aerona utics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058 March 2016 G. Reid W iseman ( Commander, U.S. Navy ) NA At Home in Space, the third book in the series, continues the story throughout the later Seventies and into the Eighties. It was a period of time characterised by great promise. Regular Soviet missions demonstrated that humanity could not only survive, but thrive, in a weightless environment, and the arrival of the Space Shuttle seemed to offer a more economical and routine means of accessing the heavens. Living in space became truly international as astronauts from many nations lived and worked together on Soviet space stations and aboard the Shuttle. At the same time, however, relations between two key players in this drive to conquer the high ground of space - the United States and the Soviet Union - steadily declined from the high-watermark of Apollo-Soyuz to the nadir of Star Wars. This third volume charts the progress made in space during this pivotal phase of humanity\'s quest to explore the final frontier. The Space Shuttle has been the dominant machine in the U.S. space program for thirty years and has generated a great deal of interest among space enthusiasts and engineers. This book enables readers to understand its technical systems in greater depth than they have been able to do so before.The author describes the structures and systems of the Space Shuttle, and then follows a typical mission, explaining how the structures and systems were used in the launch, orbital operations and the return to Earth. Details of how anomalous events were dealt with on individual missions are also provided, as are the recollections of those who built and flew the Shuttle. Many photographs and technical drawings illustrate how the Space Shuttle functions, avoiding the use of complicated technical jargon.The book is divided into two sections: Part 1 describes each subsystem in a technical style, supported by diagrams, technical drawings, and photographs to enable a better understanding of the concepts. Part 2 examines different flight phases, from liftoff to landing. Technical material has been obtained from NASA as well as from other forums and specialists.Author Davide Sivolella is an aerospace engineer with a life-long interest in space and is ideally qualified to interpret technical manuals for a wider audience. This book provides comprehensive coverage of the topic including the evolution of given subsystems, reviewing the different configurations, and focusing on the solutions implemented. This unique book tells the story of the Space Shuttle from its many different roles as orbital launch platform orbital workshop and science and technology laboratory. It is exclusively focused on the technology designed and developed to support the missions of the Space Shuttle program. Each mission is cataloged and detailed in turn, together with technical and managerial issues relating to each one. Although outwardly identical, the capabilities of the orbiters in the late years of the program were quite different from those in 1981. Davide Sivolella traces the various improvements and modifications made to the shuttle over the years as part of each mission story. Thus a discussion of the Extended Duration Orbiter forms part of the STS-50 story, the need for an orbiter to replace Challenger features in the section on STS-49, and a review of the new glass cockpit comes under STS-101. 1. Technically accurate with a narrative style and simple explanations of difficult engineering concepts, it provides details of less-known concepts developed but never flown and commemorates the ingenuity of NASA and its partners in making each Space Shuttle mission a success by pushing the boundaries of what we can accomplish in space. This general, popular science book focuses on recounting the adventures of each of the missions through technical esoterica, press kits, original documents, newspaper and magazine articles, memoirs and interviews. This will therefore be the most up-to-date and comprehensive account of the shuttle\'s many missions available and will refocus interest on a quite remarkable flying machine and space program that often is kept in the background. Apollo was known for its engineering triumphs, but its success also came from a disciplined management style. This excellent account of one of the most important personalities in early American human spaceflight history describes for the first time how George E. Mueller, the system manager of the human spaceflight program of the 1960s, applied the SPO methodology and other special considerations such as all-uptesting, resulting in the success of the Apollo Program. Wernher von Braun and others did not readily accept such testing or Mueller\'s approach to system management, but later acknowledged that without them NASA would not have landed astronauts on the Moon by 1969. While Apollo remained Mueller\'s priority, from his earliest days at the agency, he promoted a robust post-Apollo Program which resulted in Skylab, the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. As a result of these efforts, Mueller earned the sobriquet: the father of the space shuttle. Following his success at NASA, Mueller returned to industry. Although he did not play a leading role in human spaceflight again, in 2011 the National Air and Space Museum awarded him their lifetime achievement trophy for his contributions.Following the contributions of George E. Mueller, in this unique book Arthur L. Slotkin answers such questions as: exactly how did the methods developed for use in the Air Force ballistic missile programs get modified and used in the Apollo Program? How did George E. Mueller, with the help of others, manage the Apollo Program? How did NASA centers, coming from federal agencies with cultures of their own, adapt to the new structured approach imposed from Washington?George E. Mueller is the ideal central character for this book. He was instrumental in the creation of Apollo extension systems leading to Apollo, the Shuttle, and today\'s ISS and thus was a pivotal figure in early American human spaceflight history. Here for the first time you can read:how a space technology start-up is pioneering work on expandable space station moduleshow Robert Bigelow licensed the TransHab idea from NASA, and how his company developed the technology for more than a decadehow, very soon, a Bigelow expandable module will be docked with the International Space Station.At the core of Bigelow\'s plan is the inflatable module technology. Tougher and more durable than their rigid counterparts, these inflatable modules are perfectly suited for use in the space, where Bigelow plans to link them together to form commercial space stations. This book describes how this new breed of space stations will be built and how the link between Bigelow Aerospace, NASA and private companies can lead to a new economy-a space economy. Finally, the book touches on Bigelow\'s aspirations beyond low Earth orbit, plans that include the landing of a base on the lunar surface and the prospect of missions to Mars. In Energiya-Buran: the Soviet Space Shuttle, the authors describe the long development path of the Soviet space shuttle system, consisting of the Energiya rocket and the Buran orbiter. The program eventually saw just one unmanned flight in November 1988 before the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union sealed its fate.After a Foreword provided by lead Buran test pilot Igor Volk, the authors look at the experience gradually accumulated in high-speed aeronautics with the development of various Soviet rocket planes and intercontinental cruise missiles between the 1930s to 1950s and the study of several small spaceplanes in the 1960s. Next the authors explain how the perceived military threat of the US Space Shuttle led to the decision in February 1976 to build a Soviet equivalent, and explore the evolution of the design until it was frozen in 1979. Following this is a detailed technical description of both Energiya and Buran and a look at nominal flight scenarios and emergency situations, highlighting similarities and differences with the US Space Shuttle.The authors then expand on the managerial aspects of the Energiya-Buran program, sum up the main design bureaus and production facilities involved in the project and describe the infrastructure needed to transport the hardware and prepare it for launch at the Baikonur cosmodrome. They go on to detail the selection and training of teams of civilian and military test pilots for Buran, crew assignments for the first manned missions and preparatory flights aboard Soyuz spacecraft.Next the focus turns to the extensive test program that preceded the first flight of Buran, notably the often trouble-plagued test firings of rocket engines, the first flight of Energiya with the enigmatic Polyus payload, test flights of subscale models and atmospheric approach and landing tests. After an analysis of Western speculation on the Soviet space shuttle effort in the pre-glasnost era, a detailed account is given of final preparations for the maiden flight of Buran and the mission itself.In the final chapters the authors look at the gradual demise of the project in the early 1990s, the fate of the Soviet orbiters and their cosmodrome infrastructure, cancelled missions, and the many planned derivatives of the Energiya rocket. Attention is also paid to technological spin-offs such as the Zenit and Sea Launch projects and the RD-180 and RD-191 rocket engines. Finally, an overview is given of alternative spaceplane proposals during and after the Buran era, including the MAKS air-launched spaceplane, the Kliper spacecraft and various single-stage-to-orbit systems.The book closes off with key specifications of the Energiya-Buran system, short biographies of the Buran pilots, an extensive list of Russian acronyms, a short bibliographical essay and a detailed index. Based largely on Russian sources, it is richly illustrated with some 250 pictures and diagrams.Although Energiya-Buran was primarily a program of unfulfilled promises and shattered dreams, it represented a major technological breakthrough for the Soviet Union and its story deserves to be told. There have been many remarkable achievements, such as the Galileo probe which parachuted into Jupiter\'s atmosphere, to the joy of the engineers who built it. But there have also been many humiliating failures. Sometimes the cause is a silly procedural error, such as a minus sign instead of a plus sign in a computer program, or a mix up between Imperial and Metric units. The Russian craft Phobos 1 was lost en route to Mars after being sent an incorrect command, because the spacecraft\'s computer was insufficiently robust to reject it. More recently, NASA has suffered the loss of several missions to Mars, including one due to a simple computer programming error. In Space Systems Failures, David Harland (here working with co-author Ralph Lorenz) describes the many quite fascinating tales of woe involving failures of rockets, satellites and deep space missions in his inimitable style, providing a unique insight into the trials and tribulations of exploration at the high frontier. Apollo was known for its engineering triumphs, but its success also came from a disciplined management style. This excellent account of one of the most important personalities in early American human spaceflight history describes for the first time how George E. Mueller, the system manager of the human spaceflight program of the 1960s, applied the SPO methodology and other special considerations such as all-uptesting, resulting in the success of the Apollo Program. Wernher von Braun and others did not readily accept such testing or Mueller\'s approach to system management, but later acknowledged that without them NASA would not have landed astronauts on the Moon by 1969. While Apollo remained Mueller\'s priority, from his earliest days at the agency, he promoted a robust post-Apollo Program which resulted in Skylab, the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. As a result of these efforts, Mueller earned the sobriquet: the father of the space shuttle. Following his success at NASA, Mueller returned to industry. Although he did not play a leading role in human spaceflight again, in 2011 the National Air and Space Museum awarded him their lifetime achievement trophy for his contributions.Following the contributions of George E. Mueller, in this unique book Arthur L. Slotkin answers such questions as: exactly how did the methods developed for use in the Air Force ballistic missile programs get modified and used in the Apollo Program? How did George E. Mueller, with the help of others, manage the Apollo Program? How did NASA centers, coming from federal agencies with cultures of their own, adapt to the new structured approach imposed from Washington?George E. Mueller is the ideal central character for this book. He was instrumental in the creation of Apollo extension systems leading to Apollo, the Shuttle, and today\'s ISS and thus was a pivotal figure in early American human spaceflight history. This book is as a detailed, but highly readable and balanced account of the history of animal space flights carried out by all nations, but principally the United States and the Soviet Union. It explores the ways in which animal high-altitude and space flight research impacted on space flight biomedicine and technology, and how the results - both successful and disappointing - allowed human beings to then undertake that same hazardous journey with far greater understanding and confidence. Unlike other books which were written for younger readers, this is a comprehensive and fully researched book that will be used as the ultimate reference on the subject. Other books have concentrated on the animal space flights and research carried out by either of the two major spacefaring superpowers. This book tells the total story and will undoubtedly become the ultimate authority on animal space flights. In Energiya-Buran: the Soviet Space Shuttle, the authors describe the long development path of the Soviet space shuttle system, consisting of the Energiya rocket and the Buran orbiter. The program eventually saw just one unmanned flight in November 1988 before the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union sealed its fate.After a Foreword provided by lead Buran test pilot Igor Volk, the authors look at the experience gradually accumulated in high-speed aeronautics with the development of various Soviet rocket planes and intercontinental cruise missiles between the 1930s to 1950s and the study of several small spaceplanes in the 1960s. Next the authors explain how the perceived military threat of the US Space Shuttle led to the decision in February 1976 to build a Soviet equivalent, and explore the evolution of the design until it was frozen in 1979. Following this is a detailed technical description of both Energiya and Buran and a look at nominal flight scenarios and emergency situations, highlighting similarities and differences with the US Space Shuttle.The authors then expand on the managerial aspects of the Energiya-Buran program, sum up the main design bureaus and production facilities involved in the project and describe the infrastructure needed to transport the hardware and prepare it for launch at the Baikonur cosmodrome. They go on to detail the selection and training of teams of civilian and military test pilots for Buran, crew assignments for the first manned missions and preparatory flights aboard Soyuz spacecraft.Next the focus turns to the extensive test program that preceded the first flight of Buran, notably the often trouble-plagued test firings of rocket engines, the first flight of Energiya with the enigmatic Polyus payload, test flights of subscale models and atmospheric approach and landing tests. After an analysis of Western speculation on the Soviet space shuttle effort in the pre-glasnost era, a detailed account is given of final preparations for the maiden flight of Buran and the mission itself.In the final chapters the authors look at the gradual demise of the project in the early 1990s, the fate of the Soviet orbiters and their cosmodrome infrastructure, cancelled missions, and the many planned derivatives of the Energiya rocket. Attention is also paid to technological spin-offs such as the Zenit and Sea Launch projects and the RD-180 and RD-191 rocket engines. Finally, an overview is given of alternative spaceplane proposals during and after the Buran era, including the MAKS air-launched spaceplane, the Kliper spacecraft and various single-stage-to-orbit systems.The book closes off with key specifications of the Energiya-Buran system, short biographies of the Buran pilots, an extensive list of Russian acronyms, a short bibliographical essay and a detailed index. Based largely on Russian sources, it is richly illustrated with some 250 pictures and diagrams.Although Energiya-Buran was primarily a program of unfulfilled promises and shattered dreams, it represented a major technological breakthrough for the Soviet Union and its story deserves to be told. This book is as a detailed, but highly readable and balanced account of the history of animal space flights carried out by all nations, but principally the United States and the Soviet Union. It explores the ways in which animal high-altitude and space flight research impacted on space flight biomedicine and technology, and how the results - both successful and disappointing - allowed human beings to then undertake that same hazardous journey with far greater understanding and confidence. Unlike other books which were written for younger readers, this is a comprehensive and fully researched book that will be used as the ultimate reference on the subject. Other books have concentrated on the animal space flights and research carried out by either of the two major spacefaring superpowers. This book tells the total story and will undoubtedly become the ultimate authority on animal space flights. Overview by. Felix.A.Soto-Toro@NASA.gov. Kennedy Space Center. Audit Liaison Representative. November 14, 2023. 1. Agenda. Definition. Categories. Background. Requirements. Pay and benefits. Frequently asked questions.