Böcker av David J. Shayler

This third book of the Gemini mission series focuses on the flight that simulated in Earth orbit the duration of an eight-day Apollo mission to the Moon.

Unofficially they called themselves the TFNG, or the Thirty-Five New Guys. Officially, they were NASA's Group 8 astronauts, selected in January 1978 to train for orbital missions aboard the Space Shuttle. Prior to this time only pilots or scientists trained as pilots had been assigned to fly on America's spacecraft, but with the advent of the innovative winged spacecraft the door was finally opened to non-pilots, including women and minorities. In all, 15 of those selected were categorised as Pilot Astronauts, while the other 20 would train under the new designation of Mission Specialist. Altogether, the Group 8 astronauts would be launched on a total of 103 space missions; some flying only once, while others flew into orbit as many as five times. Sadly, four of their number would perish in the Challenger tragedy in January 1986.In their latest collaborative effort, the authors bring to life the amazing story behind the selection of the first group of Space Shuttle astronauts, examining their varied backgrounds and many accomplishments in a fresh and accessible way through deep research and revealing interviews. Throughout its remarkable 30-year history as the workhorse of NASA's human spaceflight exploration, twice halted through tragedy, the Shuttle fleet performed with magnificence. So too did these 35 men and women, swept up in the dynamic thrust and ongoing development of America's Space Shuttle program."This book on the Group 8 Astronauts, the TFNGs, is an excellent summation of the individuals first selected for the new Space Shuttle Program. It provides insight into what it took to first get the Space Shuttle flying. For any space enthusiast it is a must read." - Robert L. Crippen PLT on STS-1 "As a reader, I had many moments where long, lost memories of the triumph and tragedy of the space shuttle program were brilliantly reawakened at the turn of a page. Loved it! This is a must-have book for every space enthusiast's library." - TFNG Mission Specialist Astronaut Richard 'Mike' Mullane, author of Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut"Many of the anecdotes in the book brought back memories of challenges, opportunities, and a team of men and women who were committed not just to the space program, but to one another...I've gone back to it several times as a reference source." - TFNG Steve Hawley, 5-time Space Shuttle Mission Specialist Astronaut "The TFNG book is incredible and amazingly thorough! The detail in the book is awesome! It is my go-to book for any of the details I've forgotten." - TFNG Dr. Rhea Seddon, 3-time Space Shuttle Mission Specialist Astronaut."I can't believe how detailed and complete it is!!! FANTASTIC work!!!" - TFNG Robert L."Hoot" Gibson, 5-time Space Shuttle Pilot & Commander and former Chief of the NASA Astronaut Office

This book explains how the testing program of the next-stage space exploration mission was completed. In this pre-Apollo stage, the vehicle''s ability to move in space was demonstrated, and the dawn of a new era of operational activities in Earth orbit commenced. When Gemini 3 became the first manned flight of the highly successful series of ten missions the spring of 1965, it paved the way for Apollo to reach the Moon later in the decade. Tasked with addressing key objectives and challenges in order to gain experience and knowledge from living and working in space, as opposed to just surviving the ride, Gemini also afforded NASA with the skills that remain relevant 50 years later, on time launches, rendezvous and docking, EVA, long duration flight, and completing the flight with a safe and accurate recovery. Often in the shadow of its famous pioneering predecessor Mercury, or lost in the glory of Apollo, the two man Gemini flights provided the vital link between proving humans could survive in space for a few hours and being able to accomplish useful work during missions of up to two weeks. Building upon the success of Project Mercury, Gemini 3 provided the first step in a program that gave NASA the confidence that America could reach the Moon with Apollo by the end of the decade. The Gemini 3 flight also saw the appearance of the first member of NASA’s second class of astronauts, a selection that has been said to have been the best group ever chosen by the space agency, some of whom participated not only in the Gemini program but also during the Apollo era.This book continues the Pioneers in Early Spaceflight series to examine each flight in the Mercury and Gemini series. Despite the challenges, Gemini 3 and its two-man crew undertook a huge gamble, and one which fortunately paid off. The mission was also the first time the mission control center at the Manned Spacecraft Center, near Houston, Texas, was utilized for monitoring the mission, commencing a tradition that continues today with the International Space Station program. 

Three years later, following the sudden cancellation of the USAF's highly classified Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) project, seven military astronauts were also co-opted into NASA's space program. This book represents the final chapter by the authors in the story of American astronaut selections prior to the era of the Space Shuttle.

This book tells the story of the four missions to maintain Hubble''s successful operation. Between 1997 and 2009 these repaired, serviced and upgraded the instruments on the telescope to maintain its state-of-the-art capabilities. It draws on first hand interviews with those closely involved in the project. The spacewalking skills and experiences gained from maintaining and upgrading Hubble had direct application to the construction of the International Space Station and help with its maintenance. These skills can be applied to future human and robotic satellite servicing and maintenance activities as well, not only in Earth orbit but at locations deeper in space.A companion to this book, The Hubble Space Telescope: From Concept to Success, relates the events of the TelescopeΓÇÖs launch in 1990 and its rough start, after a 20-year struggle to place a large optical telescope in orbit. Originally intended to operate for fifteen years, Hubble has just passed its 25th anniversary, and there is every expectation that it will survive for thirty years. Despite its early problems, the Hubble Space Telescope has become a lasting legacy of the Space Shuttle program, and indeed is a national treasure.