Synopses & Reviews
Includes bibliographical references (p. 47) and index.
Synopsis
In 1981, the country watched in awe as the space shuttle Columbia made its victorious return to Earth after a hugely successful first mission. More than two decades later, television screens were again filled with images of Columbia, but for a very different reason. Columbia had broken apart in mid-air, killing all seven astronauts aboard. It was the end of an era. This book goes back to the beginning, when John Young and Robert Crippen became the first astronauts to man the brand-new space shuttle Columbia. Readers follow along as Young and Crippen maneuver the spacecraft into orbit and complete the many tasks required of an astronaut. The last chapter covers the final flight of Columbia, the catastrophic break-up, and the subsequent on-going search for answers in this tragedy.
Table of Contents
A new kind of spaceship -- Columbia in orbit -- Flight and reentry -- Welcome home, Columbia! -- Columbia's last mission.