Spaceflight Now



Mission: STS-108




Orbiter: Endeavour
Launch: Dec. 5, 2001
Site: Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Payload: ISS-UF1
Landing: Dec. 17, 2001
Site: Runway 15, KSC
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Shuttle History Series




STS-1 - America's first space shuttle mission.

STS-3 - Columbia's third test flight.

STS-51A - Daring mission to deploy and retrieve satellites in space.

STS-31 - Launch of the Hubble Space Telescope.

STS-49 - Rescue of Intelsat spacecraft on Endeavour's maiden voyage.

STS-105 - Mission to swap International Space station resident crews.

STS-108 - Space station crew exchange and Sept. 11 remembrance.

STS-109 - Fourth servicing call to the Hubble Space Telescope.

STS-110 - Space station grows with addition of new truss.

STS-111 - A new station crew launched to continue international foothold in space.

STS-112 - Launching the outward expansion of the space station's truss backbone.

STS-113 - Continuing station construction while exchanging its resident crews.




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STS-108: Exchanging Expedition crews 3 and 4

Shuttle Endeavour's STS-108 mission to exchange the resident crews of the International Space Station and commemorate America's fallen heroes from the September 11th attacks was flown in December 2001. The Expedition 4 crew launched aboard the shuttle and Expedition 3 returned to Earth on Endeavour.

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Endeavour heads to assembly building
Leaving hangar
Riding atop a special transporter, shuttle Endeavour emerges from its Orbiter Processing Facility hangar on October 24 for the trip to the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center.
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Into the VAB
Endeavour travels to the 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building to be attached with an external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters atop a mobile platform. Sister-ship Discovery can be seen sitting VAB.
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Endeavour rolled to launch pad 39B
Slow crawl
Shuttle Endeavour is rolled out to launch pad 39B on October 31 in preparation for liftoff November 29 to ferry the next resident crew to the international space station.
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Buzz by F-15
An F-15 Eagle tactical fighter jet can be seen flying over launch pad 39B as shuttle Endeavour arrives at the seaside complex.
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Expedition Four crew briefing
Crew speaks
Meet the fourth resident crew that will live aboard the international space station for five months. The Expedition Four crew will launch to Alpha aboard Endeavour. They provide a summary of their mission in this presentation.
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Questions & Answers
Expedition Four commander Yuri Onufrienko and flight engineers Carl Walz and Dan Bursch answer questions from reporters during their preflight news conference.
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Expedition Four mission preview
Increment overview
A detailed preview of the five-month voyage of the Expedition Four crew aboard the International Space Station is provided in this briefing by Susan Brand, the Expedition Four Increment Manager.
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Science overview
A complete preview of the science experiments to be conducted during the Expedition Four mission aboard the International Space Station is provided by John Uri, the Lead Increment Scientist.
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Science center
Tim Horvath, the Expedition Four Lead Payload Operations Director, presents a briefing on the international space station science control center.
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Questions & Answers
Brand, Uri and Horvath answer questions from reporters following their presentations during the Expedition Four overview news conference.
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International Space Station briefing
Presentation
Bill Gerstenmaier, the International Space Station Deputy Program Manager, briefs reporters on the current status of the orbiting outpost and the record year of assembly flights.
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Questions & Answers
Gerstenmaier fields questions from reporters with a major focus on the newly released Young report about the station budget troubles.
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Joint Shuttle/Expedition crew news briefing
News conference
The four shuttle Endeavour astronauts and three Expedition Four crewmembers hold a joint news conference to talk about their missions and answer questions from reporters.
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Endeavour spacewalk preview
Presentation
Kieth Johnson, the STS-108 Lead EVA Officer, presents a comprehensive preview of the spacewalk to be performed during Endeavour's mission to install thermal blankets on the international space station.
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Questions & Answers
Kieth Johnson answers questions from reporters in this second part of the STS-108 spacewalk preview news conference.
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STS-108 mission animation
Shuttle payloads
Take a tour through shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay for a description of the payloads flying onboard in this animation narrated by Lead Flight Director Wayne Hale.
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Docking to Alpha
Shuttle Endeavour is seen making its approach and docking to the international space station in this animation. Lead Flight Director Wayne Hale narrates.
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Raffaello attached
The Italian-built Raffaello cargo module is lifted out of Endeavour's payload bay by the shuttle robotic arm and attached to the international space station as seen in animation.
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Raffaello detached
After being unloaded by the astronauts, the Raffaello cargo module is detached from the international space station and returned to Endeavour's payload bay as seen in animation.
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Departing station
Endeavour undocks and then makes a complete lap flying around the international space station at the conclusion of the shuttle's visit to the outpost as seen in animation.
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Space shuttle mission preview
Shuttle overview
Learn about Endeavour's 11-day mission with this day-by-day preview from Wayne Hale, the STS-108 Lead Flight Director.
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Station overview
Sally Davis, the lead space station flight director during Endeavour's mission, provides a detailed summary of the activities that will occur while the shuttle is docked to Alpha including the crew rotation and Raffaello.
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Cargo overview
Suzan Voss, the STS-108 Launch Package Manager, describes the Italian-built Raffaello module and all the cargo Endeavour is carrying to the international space station.
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Questions & Answers
Hale, Davis and Voss answer questions from reporters following their presentations during the STS-108 mission overview news conference.
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STS-108 Countdown
L-1 Status Briefing
Wednesday's countdown status briefing with NASA test director Pete Nickolenko, Todd Corey, STS-108 Mission Manager, and Ed Priselac, Shuttle Weather Officer.
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L-2 Status Briefing
Tuesday's countdown status briefing with NASA test director Jeff Spaulding, Todd Corey, STS-108 Mission Manager, and Ed Priselac, Shuttle Weather Officer.
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Pre-launch news conference
Presentation
Watch presentations on the shuttle, space station and processing status, the latest on security measures and the weather forecast from the traditional pre-launch news conference.
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Questions & Answers
The briefers answer questions from reporters following their presentations during the STS-108 pre-launch news conference.
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Weather scrubs Endeavour launch
Pre-launch tradition
The seven astronauts who will ride Endeavour into orbit gather in the dining room of crew quarters for the traditional pre-launch photo with the mission cake.
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Walkout
Led by commander Dom Gorie, the astronauts walk out of the Kennedy Space Center crew quarters and board the AstroVan to be driven to launch pad 39B.
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Commander aboard
The seven astronauts who will ride Endeavour into orbit gather in the dining room of crew quarters for the traditional pre-launch photo with the mission cake.
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Bursch climbs in
Expedition Four astronaut Dan Bursch enters Endeavour's crew hatch and crawls across the middeck to take his seat for launch.
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Pilot boards
Endeavour pilot Mark Kelly climbs into his seat on the shuttle's flight deck, a tricky task since the shuttle is sitting upright on the launch pad.
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Scrub called
The December 4 launch attempt for shuttle Endeavour is scrubbed at the T-minus 5 minute mark due to unacceptable weather conditions at Kennedy Space Center.
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Shuttle Endeavour soars into orbit
Departing quarters
Ready to give it a second shot at launch, the seven astronauts depart their quarters to board the AstroVan for the ride to launch pad 39B.
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Climbing aboard
A camera positioned on the front flight deck of Endeavour shows mission specialist Dan Tani climbing into his center seat with the help of Orbiter Closeout Crew personnel.
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Liftoff!
Endeavour launches from Kennedy Space Center carrying the next resident crew to live aboard the International Space Station as seen in this 2-minute, 35-second clip.
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Rising into sun
A camera atop the 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center shows shuttle Endeavour lifting off in shadow and then rising into sunlight.
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Onboard view
A video camera mounted in Endeavour's cockpit recorded this extraordinary footage of the launch, giving you a sense of what it would be like to ride the shuttle.
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Close up
This powerful tracking camera follows Endeavour from liftoff through solid rocket booster separation, providing close up video of the ascent.
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Press Site
Shuttle Endeavour's launch as seen by a camera located at the Launch Complex 39 Press Site with famous countdown clock in view.
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Front view
A dramatic view of Endeavour's ignition and liftoff is shown in dramatic fashion from a camera positioned in front of launch pad 39B.
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Back angle
An engineering camera positioned atop the launch pad 39B water tower gives a unique view of Endeavour's launch and the umbilical arm falling away.
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Twang!
This view shows the "twang" as the shuttle stresses backward as the main engines roar to life before the solid rocket boosters ignite to lift Endeavour skyward.
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SLF view
Stationed at the south end of the Shuttle Landing Facility runway at Kennedy Space Center, this camera view gives another spectacular view of Endeavour's launch.
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Distant shot
This is a more distant view of Endeavour's liftoff and climb into the sunlight as taken from the Tower 1 camera location.
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Payload bay doors
About 90 minutes after launch, the astronauts open shuttle Endeavour's two 60-foot long payload bay doors.
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Endeavour docks to space station
Docking as seen live
The space shuttle Endeavour docks at space station Alpha, bringing a new crew to the international orbital outpost as seen live with animation.
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Shuttle view
A camera in shuttle Endeavour's payload bay captures this view of the docking with the international space station.
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Hatch opening
Shuttle commander Dom Gorie opens the hatch and the shuttle astronauts float into the international space station about two-and-a-half hours after Endeavour docked to the outpost.
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Welcome ceremony
All 10 astronauts gather in the Destiny laboratory module of the international space station for a welcoming ceremony after hatch opening.
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Status briefing
Shuttle flight director Wayne Hale and international space station flight director Sally Davis brief reporters on the progress of the STS-108 mission after docking.
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Crew exchange day of Endeavour mission
Raffaello lifted
The Italian-built Raffaello cargo module is hoisted out of Endeavour's payload bay by the shuttle's robotic arm for attachment to the space station.
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Joint meal
The joint shuttle and station crews have a joint meal together aboard the international space station.
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Status briefing
International space station flight director Sally Davis and shuttle flight director Wayne Hale brief reporters on the progress of the STS-108 mission after the crew exchange.
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Honoring victims of terrorist attacks
Commemoration event
The ten orbiting astronauts paused their work for a few minutes on Sunday and paid tribute to those killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks on America.
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Spacewalkers install blankets on station
Out the door
Endeavour mission specialist Linda Godwin makes her way out of the shuttle's airlock and into the payload bay at the beginning of four-hour spacewalk.
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Riding the arm
Spacewalkers Linda Godwin and Dan Tani take a ride on Endeavour's robotic arm from the payload bay to the P6 solar array truss of the international space station for their work to install thermal blankets.
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Wrapping motor
This helmet-cam view shows the spacewalkers installing a thermal blanket around one of the solar array drive motors on the international space station for their work to install thermal blankets.
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Status briefing
International space station flight director Sally Davis, STS-108 lead spacewalk officer Kieth Johnson and shuttle flight director Wayne Hale brief reporters on the progress of the STS-108 mission after the spacewalk.
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3-month anniversary of Sept. 11 marked
National Anthems of Remembrance
Mission control joins the space station and shuttle crews in a ceremony to mark three months since terrorists struck America, killing more than three thousand people.
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Crew conference
The shuttle and station astronauts hold the traditional in-flight news conference with reporters at Johnson Space Center and Kennedy Space Center.
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Status briefing
Shuttle flight director Wayne Hale, international space station flight director Sally Davis and STS-108 launch package manager Suzan Voss brief reporters on the progress of the mission and supply transfer work.
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STS-108: Flight Day 8
Status briefing
International space station flight director Sally Davis, STS-108 launch package manager Suzan Voss and Hitchhiker program representative A.J. Alfonso brief reporters on the progress of the mission and payloads on Dec. 12.
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Changing of the guard on Alpha
Change of command
The Expedition Three crew formally hands the command of the international space station to the Expedition Four crew in this ceremony.
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Status briefing
STS-108 Lead Flight Director Wayne Hale, International space station flight director Sally Davis, STS-108 launch package manager Suzan Voss and environmental and life support system flight controller Baron Hall brief reporters on the progress of the mission on Dec. 13.
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Italian cargo module detached from station
Hatchway closed
Astronaut Carl Walz closes the hatchway leading from the space station to the Italian-built Raffaello cargo module in advance of its detachment for return to Endeavour's payload bay.
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Arm snares module
With Endeavour pilot Mark Kelly at the controls, the shuttle's robotic arm grapples the Raffaello cargo module attached to the space station for the upcoming detachment.
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Raffaello detached
Having delivered three tons of supplies to the space station for the Expedition Four crew and being loaded with trashed and unneeded equipment, the Raffaello cargo module is removed from the station and returned to Endeavour's payload bay.
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Status briefing
Lead STS-108 flight director Wayne Hale, international space station flight director Sally Davis and STS-108 launch package manager Suzan Voss brief reporters on the progress of the mission on Dec. 14.
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Endeavour undocks from the space station
Farewell ceremony
All 10 astronauts gather together for the farewell ceremony before the hatches were closed between Endeavour and the station in preparation for undocking. The Expedition 4 astronauts, beginning their 5-month stay on the outpost, received Christmas gifts from Expedition 3.
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Expedition 3 departs
With handshakes and ringing of the space station's bell, the Expedition Three crew floats out of Alpha, leaving Expedition Four to continue the human presence aboard the outpost.
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Undocking live
Shuttle Endeavour undocks from the international space station after an eight-day stay as seen live in computer-generated animation with the audio from the astronauts.
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Cabin view of undocking
As captured by a hand-held camcorder in Endeavour's crew cabin, the shuttle undocks from the international space station.
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Day 12: Starshine deployed; crew interviews
Starshine is away
The student-built Starshine-2 satellite was deployed from space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay as the ship flew 240 miles over the South Pacific.
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Crew cabin view
This view of the Starshine-2 satellite deployment was recorded by a hand-held camcorder inside shuttle Endeavour's crew cabin.
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CNN interview
CNN's Miles O'Brien interviews the Expedition Three crew of Frank Culbertson, Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Turin and Endeavour's commander, Dom Gorie, and pilot Mark Kelly.
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NBC interview
NBC Weekend Nightly News' John Seigenthaler interviews members of the Expedition Three and Endeavour crews.
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Status briefing
STS-108 entry flight director Leroy Cain briefs reporters on plans for Endeavour's landing at Kennedy Space Center, including the weather forecast and strategy for calling up the alternate landing site.
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Endeavour lands at Kennedy Space Center
Touchdown!
Space shuttle Endeavour concludes the STS-108 mission with landing on Runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, bringing home the Expedition Three crew. This is a full landing clip with live audio.
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Crew cabin view
Ride along with the Endeavour astronauts in this "pilot's point of view" video of the shuttle turning onto final approach, punching through the clouds, the runway appearing the final 5,000 or so feet and continuing to touchdown.
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Runway south
From this camera location on the south end of the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, Endeavour can be seen dropping out of the sky, touching down and rolling to a stop.
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Runway north
Endeavour's landing at Kennedy Space Center is captured in dramatic fashion by this camera on the north end of Runway 15.
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Side view
Positioned to the west of the Shuttle Landing Facility runway, this camera view shows Endeavour touching down with the launch pad and Vehicle Assembly Building in the background.
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Crew comments
Endeavour commander Dom Gorie, pilot Mark Kelly and mission specialists Linda Godwin and Dan Tani speak on the runway after their landing at Kennedy Space Center.
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Soviet Space
For the first time ever available in the West. Rocket & Space Corporation Energia: a complete pictorial history of the Soviet/Russian Space Program from 1946 to the present day all in full color. Available from our store.
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Viking patch
This embroidered mission patch celebrates NASA's Viking Project which reached the Red Planet in 1976.
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Apollo 7 DVD
For 11 days the crew of Apollo 7 fought colds while they put the Apollo spacecraft through a workout, establishing confidence in the machine what would lead directly to the bold decision to send Apollo 8 to the moon just 2 months later.
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Gemini 12
Gemini 12: The NASA Mission Reports covers the voyage of James Lovell and Buzz Aldrin that capped the Gemini program's efforts to prove the technologies and techniques that would be needed for the Apollo Moon landings. Includes CD-ROM.
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Soviet Space
For the first time ever available in the West. Rocket & Space Corporation Energia: a complete pictorial history of the Soviet/Russian Space Program from 1946 to the present day all in full color. Available from our store.
 Choose your store:
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Viking patch
This embroidered mission patch celebrates NASA's Viking Project which reached the Red Planet in 1976.
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Apollo 7 DVD
For 11 days the crew of Apollo 7 fought colds while they put the Apollo spacecraft through a workout, establishing confidence in the machine what would lead directly to the bold decision to send Apollo 8 to the moon just 2 months later.
 Choose your store:
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Gemini 12
Gemini 12: The NASA Mission Reports covers the voyage of James Lovell and Buzz Aldrin that capped the Gemini program's efforts to prove the technologies and techniques that would be needed for the Apollo Moon landings. Includes CD-ROM.
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Current Shuttle Mission Patch
The official embroidered patch for shuttle Atlantis' flight to deliver critical spare equipment to the space station.
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Ares 1-X Patch
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Apollo Collage
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Project Orion
The Orion crew exploration vehicle is NASA's first new human spacecraft developed since the space shuttle a quarter-century earlier. The capsule is one of the key elements of returning astronauts to the Moon.
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Fallen Heroes Patch Collection
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