Space Bus: The Joys and Sorrows of the Space Shuttle

Author: Pang Zhihao
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-10-01
Features: At the moment of the world-renowned launch of China's Shenzhou 6, the "New Knowledge Series on Manned Spaceflight" was grandly launched by Jiangxi University Press. It is currently the most authoritative and up-to-date series of books in China that popularizes knowledge about manned spaceflight. It is also a science popularization feast dedicated by the press to support China's "Shenzhou 6." In 2003, the successful launch of China's Shenzhou 5 not only inspired national pride but also sparked a new wave of public interest in space exploration. To meet the demand of space enthusiasts, especially young people, for the latest knowledge in manned spaceflight, Jiangxi University Press and the China Association for Science and Technology jointly planned this series, aiming to introduce the latest popular science knowledge in manned spaceflight. The series consists of six volumes: "The Space Ark—An Overview of Spacecraft," "The Space Shuttle—A Record of Joys and Sorrows," "The Cosmic Citadel—The Development Path of Space Stations," "Strolling in the Blue Sky—Astronauts' Spacewalks," "Seizing the Moon—Rediscovering the Moon," and "Interstellar Home—Mars Exploration and Development." They respectively introduce three types of manned spacecraft—spacecraft, space shuttles, and space stations—as well as three types of space activities—spacewalks, lunar development, and Mars exploration, covering the main achievements of human manned spaceflight technology today. Due to the significant subject matter, authoritative content, and alignment with market demand, the series was included in the "Five-Year Plan" national key book program by the General Administration of Press and Publication. The series was jointly organized and written by the authoritative department of aerospace science research—the China Academy of Space Technology and the China Association for Science and Technology. Academician Min Guirong, a member of the International Astronautical Federation and a two-time member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Technologies, served as the chief editor. A strong team of renowned aerospace science popularization writers, including Pang Zhihao, Wu Guoxing, and Zhou Wu, contributed to the series, presenting new technological knowledge about manned spaceflight from around the world, especially many previously classified materials since the launch of Shenzhou 5, in a vivid and illustrated format. At the time of the successful return flight of the U.S. Space Shuttle Discovery and the smooth launch of China's Shenzhou 6, the latest knowledge and information about Discovery and Shenzhou 6 were also included in the series, and Jiangxi University Press launched it in a timely manner to delight readers. The series is printed in color with exquisite binding, making it worth reading and collecting. President of the China Association for Science and Technology, Zhou Guangzhao, also happily wrote a preface for the series, recommending it to readers. The Space Shuttle is one of the greatest aerospace technological achievements of the 20th century. It combines aviation, rocket, and space technologies. It can serve as a launch vehicle to launch various spacecraft, orbit the Earth like a satellite, and land horizontally like a conventional aircraft, and can be repaired and reused for further launches. The Space Shuttle has opened up a relatively ideal path for human space-to-Earth transportation. On April 12, 1981, the United States successfully launched the first Space Shuttle, the Columbia. To date, six Space Shuttles have orbited the Earth. Currently, Russia, Japan, India, and Europe are also researching their own unique Space Shuttles. In the 21st century, humans will develop various new aerospace vehicles, including space shuttles, to explore the vastness of space more freely.