[FPSPACE] 100 Stories About Docking

[Chris Faranetta]

I received my copy yesterday and the Chief Designer has tasked me to
depot a small supply of the books in my office.  I'll let you all know
when they are available and I'd like to distribute them on a first come
first serve basis. 

CF

-----Original Message-----
From: fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org
[mailto:fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org] On Behalf Of David Woods
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 11:56 PM
To: fpspace at friends-partners.org
Subject: [FPSPACE] 100 Stories About Docking

Folks,

There have been a number of inquiries about the Syromiatnikov book "100 
Stories About Docking".  It was originally published in Russian and now 
an English language version has finally been completed.  Here is the 
abstract that is included in the beginning of the book:

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Vladimir Syromiatnikov

100 Stories about Docking and other Adventures in Space and on Earth
Volume 1: Twenty Years Back
ISBN 5-98699-014-5

The book narrates about the lifetime job of its author in cosmonautics, 
his cooperation activity in astronautics and about many events in which 
he and his close colleagues were personally engaged.  V.S.Syromiatnikov 
is a world-wide-known designer of mechanisms and systems for space 
technology.  He joined the legendary OKB-1 (Design bureau No.1 led by 
S.P.Korolev, the founder of practical cosmonautics) in 1956, a year and 
a half before Sputnik was launched.  Later he also took an active part 
in many domestic and international projects.  Gradually Syromiatnikov 
became a leading designer and specialist in orbital docking on an 
international scale.  Personal experience, joint work and close 
interactions with many leading experts of Russian cosmonautics and 
international astronautics, as well as professional acquaintance with 
different sources of information, helped him to tell stories about the 
evolution of space projects from the very beginning to the current 
times.  The author managed to do it in quite an unusual way, both on a 
documentary basis and with emotion.  Volume 1 covers the first two 
decades of space flights, from the middle of the 1950s till 1975, the 
year of space and Moon races, as well as close cooperation efforts 
(Soyuz-Apollo project).  The book is illustrated with pictures from the 
author's and others' private collections.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

That is the abstract.  The book also covers his childhood, his family's 
hardships through World War 2 and after, and his education before 
joining OKB-1.  It is an interesting read because it contains not only a

great deal of technical details about both the Russian and the American 
counter part programs, but also a lot of the personal history that 
accompanied them, some quite sad and others hilarious.  I know I learned

a great deal reading through the book.  Volume 2 will cover the 
"stagnation period" of 20 years between ASTP and the resumption of 
international cooperation on Shuttle-Mir.  It will give extensive 
coverage to Mir and will end with ISS and possible new hybrid 
spacecraft.  Since ISS is really just getting underway I suspect that a 
Volume 3 might someday be published to cover it in more detail as well.

The book was published in Samara and copies can be obtained by sending a

request to vlas at orc.ru.  As I understand it, copies are available for 
$50 which includes shipping.

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