David J. Shayler Books

Roman Lives , a new edition to the Focus Classical Sources library, is a sourcebook that explores ancient life in all strata of Roman society by examining the epitaphs and other inscriptions in Latin. For departments of Classics at the high school or college level which offer Roman Civilization, Epigraphy, or Roman culture courses.

Here, Dave Shayler examines the hurdles faced by space crews as they prepare and embark on space missions. Divided into six parts, the text opens with the fateful, tragic mission of the Challenger crew in 1986. This is followed by a review of the risks that accompany every space trip and the unique environment in which the space explorer lives and works. The next four sections cover the four parts of any space flight (training, launch, in-flight and recovery) and present major historical incidents in each case. The final section looks at the next forty years beyond the Earth's atmosphere, beginning with the International Space Station and moving on to the difficulties inherent in a manned exploration of Mars.

Spacelab was a reusable laboratory on the Space Shuttle from 1983 to 1998, completing 22 missions and aiding NASA's goals. This book explores the "Level-IV" team of managers and engineers who integrated its components, detailing their formation, challenges, and legacy, offering insight into their vital contributions to Spacelab's success.

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.

The flight of Gemini 4 in June 1965 was conducted barely four years after the first Americans flew in space. It was a bold step by NASA to accomplish the first American spacewalk and to extend the U.S. flight duration record to four days. This would be double the experience gained from the six Mercury missions combined. This daring mission was the first to be directed from the new Mission Control at the Manned Spacecraft Center near Houston, Texas. It also revealed that: Working outside the spacecraft would require further study. Developing the techniques to rendezvous with another object in space would not be as straightforward as NASA had hoped. Living in a small spacecraft for several days was a challenging but necessary step in the quest for even longer flights. Despite the risks, the gamble that astronauts Jim McDivitt and Ed White undertook paid off. Gemini 4 gave NASA the confidence to attempt an even longer flight the next time. That next mission would simulate the planned eight-day duration of an Apollo lunar voyage. Its story is recounted in the next title in this series: Gemini 5: Eight Days in Space or Bust.

The narrative focuses on the unexpected challenges faced by the Hubble Space Telescope shortly after its 1990 launch, highlighting the discovery of a flawed primary mirror. It explores the collaborative efforts of ground scientists and engineers, alongside the bravery of astronauts who undertook a critical servicing mission in December 1993, ultimately showcasing human ingenuity and resilience in overcoming obstacles to enhance our understanding of the universe.

The book delves into the selection process of two pre-Shuttle astronaut groups, uncovering intriguing and previously untold stories. It highlights the extraordinary backgrounds and personal ambitions of the skilled pilots chosen to advance NASA's exploration of space. Through deep research, the authors provide a detailed examination of the motivations and experiences that shaped these astronauts' journeys.

How could the newly authorized space shuttle help in the U.S. quest to build a large research station in Earth orbit? As a means of transporting goods, the shuttle could help supply the parts to the station. But how would the two entitles be physically linked? Docking technologies had to constantly evolve as the designs of the early space stations changed. It was hoped the shuttle would make missions to the Russian Salyut and American Skylab stations, but these were postponed until the Mir station became available, while plans for getting a new U. S. space station underway were stalled. In Linking the Space Shuttle and Space Stations, the author delves into the rich history of the Space Shuttle and its connection to these early space stations, culminating in the nine missions to dock the shuttle to Mir. By 1998, after nearly three decades of planning and operations, shuttle missions to Mir had resulted in: " A proven system to link up the space shuttle to a space station " Equipment and hands-on experience in handling tons of materials " An infrastructure to support space station assembly and resupply Each of these played a pivotal role in developing the skills and procedures crucial to the creation of the later, much larger and far more complex International Space Station, as described in the companion volume Assembling and Supplying the ISS: The Space Shuttle Fulfills Its Mission.

Explorer was the original American space program and Explorer 1 its first satellite, launched in 1958. It introduces the launchers (Juno, Thor, etc.), the launch centers, the ground centers and key personalities like James Van Allen who helped develop and run the spacecraft's exciting programs.

Telling the story of the International Space Station from the perspective of the space shuttle s involvement in the assembly and re-supply of the station over 13 years, this book captures how the intricate and wide-reaching infrastructure required by each mission was managed, with years of detailed study and evaluation between 1995 and 2011.