Surveying the history of the space shuttle, Duggins delivers descriptions of the system amid explanations of the aims of human spaceflight. Knowledgeable on the subject as NPR's space-shuttle reporter, Duggins relates the technological and financial compromises that resulted in the final design of the shuttle launch configuration, which is far different from NASA's original blueprint. Nevertheless, it was the ticket to space, and Duggins' original narrative elements portray the experiences of several shuttle crew members in applying to become astronauts and recounts their subsequent missions. For backdrop to these human-interest stories, Duggins constructs the arc of shuttle history, including the Challenger and Columbia catastrophes, of course, but emphasizing the shuttle's chronic problems of costliness and of the search for an inspiring purpose. After assembling the International Space Station, the shuttle was retired, leaving NASA shooting for the moon again with proposed successor spacecraft depicted in image and word. With its history and status-report aspects, his informed report will engage readers concerned with the space program. Taylor, Gilbert able of Contents Ch. 1: The Future Ch. 2: New Spaceship, New Astronauts Ch. 3: 1981: The Path to STS-1 Ch. 4: 1982-1985: The Curse of Being Routine Ch. 5: 1986: "Don't Call Unless It Blows Up" Ch. 6: The Investigation Ch. 7: 1988-1992: Back on the Horse Ch. 8: 1993: The Road to Mir Ch. 9: 1998: ISS, the Shotgun Marriage Ch. 10: Columbia Ch. 11: The Aftermath Ch. 12: Back on the Horse, Again Ch. 13: The Moon, Maybe, but Mars?