Episode 13: The Legend of Icarus

The space shuttle was a marvel of American ingenuity that ushered in a new era for the American space program. But the world would soon learn that reusable spacecraft were far from being perfect machines. Is the story of the U.S. shuttle program a tale of triumph for human space exploration? Or is the tale of a modern day Icarus?
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PHOTO CAPTION: Computer generated simulation depicting the American space shuttle's thermal tiles displacing heat upon reentry into the Earth's atmosphere.
REFERENCES:
'After Apollo?: Richard Nixon and the American Space Program'
by John M. Logsdon
'Accountability in the Public Sector: Lessons from the Challenger', Public Administration Review
by Barbara S. Romzek and Melvin J. Dubnick
'Remembering Roger Boisjoly: He Tried to Stop Shuttle Challenger Launch', NPR.org
by Howard Berkes
'For Parts, NASA Boldly Goes... on Ebay', The New York Times
by William J. Broad
'Pentagon Chief Assails Article on Shuttle Trip', The New York Times
by Alex S. Jones
'Prepared Statement of Dr. Michael D. Griffin: "The Future of Human Space Flight"
House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
MUSIC:
"Heavy Heart" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Perspectives" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Ossuary 6: Air" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Shores of Avalon" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Pepper's Theme" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Ossuary 1: A Begining" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Perspectives" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Thunderbird" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Ossuary 1: A Begining" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/