Shuttle Down

In the book, the Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on a polar orbit flight from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Southern California. During the launch, the main engines cut off prematurely and the Shuttle is forced to make an emergency landing on Easter Island.^[2]

Officials at NASA must manage the technological challenge of recovering the shuttle. Problems include a lack of documents for the astronauts and shuttle, bringing in the crane that is used to lift the Shuttle onto the specially-modified 747 that carries it, widening the runway to accommodate the 747, building turn-arounds on the runway, and bringing in fuel for the plane.^{[citation needed]}

A subplot involves efforts by the Soviet Union to take the Shuttle for itself.^[3]

• Shuttle Down title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database

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