Handprints on Hubble - (Lemelson Center Studies in Invention and Innovation) by Kathryn D Sullivan (Paperback)

The Hubble Space Telescope has revolutionized our understanding of the universe, revealing thousands of galaxies in empty patches of sky, transforming our knowledge of black holes, and measuring precisely how fast the universe is expanding.

Handprints on Hubble is an accessible and fascinating memoir of Kathryn Sullivan's experiences as a pioneering scientist, highlighted by her work on the Hubble space telescope.

With vivid details, Sullivan recounts her early life as a "Sputnik Baby," her path to NASA through oceanography, and her initiation into the space program as one of the first six women to join NASA's storied astronaut corps.

She describes in detail what liftoff feels like inside a spacecraft, shows us the view from a spacewalk, and recounts the temporary grounding of the shuttle program after the Challenger disaster.

Sullivan explains that "maintainability" was designed into Hubble, and she describes the work of inventing the tools and processes that made on-orbit maintenance possible.

Because in-flight repair and upgrade were part of the plan, NASA was able to fix a serious defect in Hubble's mirrors - leaving literal and metaphorical "handprints on Hubble." This book is an involving, inspiring personal account of creating Hubble, the telescope that changed Earth's view of the universe.

With her veneer of astronaut cool, Sullivan takes readers on a thrilling adventure through space, paying tribute to the unsung heroes of Hubble's initial deployment and subsequent servicing.

Don't miss out on this fascinating story of how human ingenuity shaped NASA technology and changed our understanding of the universe.

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