The People’s Spaceship

Amy Paige Kaminski University of Pittsburgh £54 HB

The People’s Spaceship charts the many ups and downs of NASA and the Space Shuttle, from inception to retirement and beyond. Rather than simply documenting the technical history of the Shuttle, Kaminski focuses on how it was perceived by the public at large, and shows how it became more than merely a feat of engineering, but also a demonstration of the power of public engagement with science.

We learn in great detail how the Space Shuttle became ‘the people’s spaceship’ – how NASA was able to draw the public in, so that they themselves (and not merely their tax dollars) became a crucial part of the programme’s success. Calling on extensive research and interviews, author Kaminski – who has herself held key public engagement posts at NASA – reveals how the space agency had the foresight to put PR right at the heart of the Shuttle project, before anyone was even calling it PR. She shows how excitement about the Space Shuttle was able to help bring together a fractured American public that was preoccupied with the war in Vietnam, the struggle for civil rights and budding environmental concerns, and unite them in a vision of an American future.

This book is meticulously researched and referenced, and gives an incredibly detailed history of many aspects of both NASA and the Shuttle itself that have not previously been brought to light. While a little dense in places – this is certainly more textbook than beach read – Kaminki’s passion and emotion for the project, and for public outreach, shine out from the pages. A great resource for anyone wanting a deeper understanding of the importance of public engagement in making spaceflight a success. ★★★★★

Katie Sawers is a science writer