The Space Shuttle is one of the oldest and most famous manned launch systems - the only launch vehicle that has been used for a longer period of time is the Soviet (now Russian) R-7 booster. By the start of the third millennium, the Space Shuttle had carried crews into space over 85 times. Although not a military structure, the Shuttle had been sold as an all-purpose launch system to be used jointly for military and civilian purposes. Featuring full-colour photos throughout, this book covers the design, development and operational history of a unique vehicle.

Mark Lardas has always been fascinated by things related to the sea and sky. From building models of ships and aircraft as a teen, he then studied Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, but his interest in aviation led him to take a job on the then-new Space Shuttle program, where he worked for the next 30 years as a navigation engineer. Currently he develops commercial aircraft systems as a quality assurance manager. He has written numerous books on military, naval or maritime history.