This review examines the historical background, rationale behind, and events leading to, the construction and commissioning of the ISS. The authors describe the orbital assembly of the ISS on a flight-by-flight basis, listing all the experiments planned in the various laboratory modules and explain their objectives. They also provide an account of the long-term stresses and strains of building the ISS on the US/Russia relationship, especially after 1997. By offering a comprehensive mix of operational work, microgravity science and future plans, the book should satisfy both the space...

A developmental history of the first American manned spaceflight programme and its associated infrastructure, including accounts of space launch vehicles. The book highlights the differences in Redstone/Atlas technology, drawing similar comparisons between ballistic capsules and alternative types of spacecraft. The book also covers astronaut selection and training, as well as tracking systems, flight control, basic principles of spaceflight and detailed accounts of individual flights.