1986 Lithograph "SPACE SHUTTLE MISSIONS"
1986 Lithograph "SPACE SHUTTLE MISSIONS" is a vintage Lithographs / Prints artifact by Unattributed (Likely an aerospace contractor or educational publisher) from 1986, preserved in The Record Institute Ephemera Archive.
Category: Lithographs / Prints
Brand: Unattributed (Likely an aerospace contractor or educational publisher)
Year: 1986
Rarity Class: C
Charting an era of unbounded orbital optimism, this circa 1986 offset lithograph presents a complete visual index of the first twenty-five Space Shuttle missions. Concluding abruptly with the fateful flight of Challenger 51-L, the poster stands as a poignant, time-capsule document of NASA's most ambitious operational era before innocence was lost to the upper atmosphere.
Quick Read
Chronological Span: Visually indexes the first 25 Space Shuttle missions, from STS-1 (April 1981) to 51-L (January 1986). Nomenclature Shift: Clearly displays NASA's transition from sequential STS numbering to the complex alphanumeric system (beginning with 41-B). Historical Terminus: The chart ends abruptly at the fateful Challenger 51-L mission, cementing the printing date to early 1986. DOD Imagery: Features the distinct, shuttle-less bald eagle insignia of 51-C, marking the program's first classified Department of Defense flight. Printing Method: A high-contrast commercial offset lithograph.
Summary
Charting an era of unbounded orbital optimism, this circa 1986 offset lithograph presents a complete visual index of the first twenty-five Space Shuttle missions. Concluding abruptly with the fateful flight of Challenger 51-L, the poster stands as a poignant, time-capsule document of NASA's most ambitious operational era before innocence was lost to the upper atmosphere.
