Shuttle Down

Lee Correy (G.Harry Stine) does an excellent job of using his extensive aerospace background to provide technical accuracy in Shuttle Down. That background ran from early 1950's White Sands Proving Ground (before it was White Sands Missile Range) to NASA's manned programs. He also shows his political experience with, and understanding of federal agencies by showing how bureaucratically bloated NASA, the State Dept, and the Air Force have become. Stine first crossed swords with the Feds in 1957, just a few weeks after moving from White Sands to Martin Marietta in Baltimore. When Sputnik was launched that autumn, Harry found the press, (or they found him). He made some critical comments about our fledgling space program, and was promptly fired. Of course, he was right. From this book, it is obvious that he continued to follow the ever increasing bureaucratizing of NASA. I knew Harry at White Sands, and have read many of his other writings. He was typical of the many very bright young rocket pioneers in that era after World War II and before Sputnik. I am saddened to learn that he is no longer with us.

Lee Correy is the pen name of the late G. Harry Stine, an ex-NASA launch safety officer. As can expected from that backround, he knows exactly what can go wrong on the Space Shuttle, and the how to create the worst situation for NASA short of another Challenger disaster. During a routine launch to polar orbit from Vandenburg AFB (which once upon a time NASA had intended to be a second launch site), the shuttle Atlantis suffers a shutdown on all three of it's main engines. Halfway across the Pacific and unable to make orbit, the only place Atlantis can land is the most remote spot on Earth, Easter Island. Though the crew lands safely, NASA's troubles are only beginning, as they realize how ill-prepared they are for a landing in a place that's literally 3000 miles from anywhere. Between flying in supplies and equipment, dealing with a touchy political situation in Chile (Easter Island's colonial master), and convincing a skeptical American press that they can bring their bird home safe, there's plenty going on. Though the characters barely rise above the level of cardboard props, the political and technical details are what makes this book a success. It can be taken as a high sign of this book's accuracy, that NASA bought several copies when they realized it pointed they had never negotiated an emergency landing treaty with Chile!