Challenger

Discovery's last hurrah – Day Two

Tue, 11/02/2010 - 10:10 — Ben Gilliland

Discovery's greatest hits

In which we take a look at some of the greatest missions undertaken by Nasa's greatest Space Shuttle

Despite the Space Shuttle's many (many) failings, it remains something a bit special and totally unique.

It was designed to streak into heavens as a rocket (during which time it accelerates to 28,000km per hour) and then return back to Earth as a glider before touching down on a runway like a commercial airliner. It was one of the aircraft to use digital fly-by-wire technology (meaning that there is no direct mechanical or hydraulic connection between the pilot's control stick and the craft's control surfaces and thrusters).

Also, for any design geeks out there, the typeface used on the side of the orbiter is Helvetica!

Discovery's last hurrah - Day One

Mon, 11/01/2010 - 14:05 — Ben Gilliland

Discovery: The birth of a legend

In which we take a look at Discovery's formative years when she looked more Airfix kit than spacecraft

This week the Space Shuttle Discovery is set to make its finally flight – after which it will be decommissioned, sent to a museum and it will spend the rest of its days as a monument to human endeavour and achievement and to dreams fulfilled and to dreams broken. I shall spend this week remembering the achievements of this iconic vehicle.

Day One – Early memories and some of Discovery's baby photos

I was just five years old when the Space Shuttle Columbia – the first of Nasa’s next generation of manned-spacecraft – pushed through the clouds and punched its way into the heavens.

Theme by Dr. Radut.