You can listen to this audiobook in formats: WAV, AC3, MPEG4, WMA, MP3, TTA, AIFF, FLAC (compression ZIP, TAR.LZO, TAR.BZ2, ACE, RAR, 7Z)
Total pages original book: 488
Includes a PDF summary of 46 pages
Duration of the summary (audio): 36M17S (9.2 MB)
Description or summary of the audiobook: Heppenheimer looks back at the shuttle's technical antecedents such as the X-15 rocket plane and rocket booster technologies, and illuminates the principal personalities involved in the space shuttle decision and their motivations. He traces NASA's evolving programme goals, the technical calculations, political maneuvering, and fiscal constraints, and explains the myriad designs that preceded the shuttle concept. In closing, he looks in detail at the circumstances leading to the politically charged development decision of 1972.
Other categories, genre or collection: Space Science, Transport Industries, Aircraft, Aerospace & Aviation Technology, Astronautics, Aerospace & Air Transport Industries