The
Space Shuttle
Decision

Complete online book
by T. A. Heppenheimer

NASA SP-4221
NASA History Series
1999

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Acknowledgements
Introduction
Abbreviations and Acronyms

Chapter 1. Space Stations and Winged Rockets

• Introduction
• The Collier's Series
• Background to the Space Station
• Winged Rockets: The Work of Eugen Sanger
• Navaho and the Main Line of American Liquid Rocketry
• The X-15: An Airplane for Hypersonic Research
• Lifting Bodies: Wingless Winged Rockets
• Solid-Propellant Rockets: Inexpensive Boosters
• Dyna-Soar: A Failure in Evolution

Chapter 2. NASA's Uncertain Future

• Technology Bypasses the Space Station
• Apollo Applications: Prelude to a Space Station
• Space Station Concepts of the 1960s
• Early Studies of Low-Cost Space Flight
• Two Leaders Emerge: Max Hunter and George Mueller
• NASA and the Post-Apollo Future

Chapter 3. Mars and Other Dream Worlds

• Introduction
• Nuclear Rocket Engines
• A New Administrator: Thomas Paine
• Space Shuttle Studies Continue
• Space Shuttle Policy: Opening Gambits
• Paine Seeks a Space Station
• Space Shuttles Receive New Attention
• Space Task Group Members Prepare Plans
• Agnew Leads a Push Toward Mars

Chapter 4. Winter of Discontent

• Introduction
• The Sixties
• Mars: The Advance
• Mars: The Retreat
• The Turn of Congress
• Paine Leaves NASA

Chapter 5. Shuttle to the Forefront

• Introduction
• The Air Force in Space
• The Air Force and NASA
• A New Shuttle Configuration
• Station Fades; Shuttle Advances
• The Space Shuttle Main Engine

Chapter 6. Economics and the Shuttle

• Introduction
• Why People Believed in Low-Cost Space Flight
• The Shuttle Faces Questions
• Change at NASA and the Bureau of the Budget
• The Fall of the Two-Stage Fully-Reusable Shuttle

Chapter 7. Aerospace Recession

• Introduction
• The Boeing 747
• The Supersonic Transport (SST)
• The Lockheed L-1011
• Aftermaths

Chapter 8. A Shuttle to Fit the Budget

• Introduction
• The Orbiter: Convergence to a Good Solution
• The Booster: Confusion and Doubt
• End Game in the Shuttle Debate
• TAOS: A New Alternative
• A Time to Decide

Chapter 9. Nixon's Decision

• Introduction
• Nixon and Technology
• Space Shuttle: The Last Moves
• The Hinge of Decision
• Loose Ends I: A Final Configuration
• Loose Ends II: NERVA and Cape Canaveral
• Awarding the Contracts

Bibliography