The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics has just published a new book in its Library of Flight Series, "Space Shuttle Legacy: How We Did It and What We Learned". The book is edited by Roger Launius, senior curator in the Division of Space History of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum; John Krige, Kranzberg Professor in Georgia Tech's School of History, Technology and Society; and James Craig, Emeritus Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech.

The book contains 14 chapters by noted historians, political scientists, public administrators, engineers, and scientists who examine the development and operation of the Space Shuttle to begin to answer what its legacy will be.  From its first flight in 1981, the Space Shuttle became an important example of the technological capability of the United States, universally recognized as such by the American people and also by the larger international community.

The work complements the symposium held to commemorate the Space Shuttle program at Georgia Tech in June 2012, "The Space Shuttle: an Engineering Milestone".

AIAA's link for the book: http://arc.aiaa.org/doi/book/10.2514/4.102165