David K. Stone (American, 1922 - 2001) "Space Shuttle Orbiter" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. The total time from the Space Shuttle's liftoff to Earth orbit is ten minutes. Some twenty-seven miles above the Earth two solid propellant boosters are jettisoned after burnout. The solid rockets descend by parachute to a preselected recovery point in the ocean. They will be refurbished for use on a later Shuttle mission. In orbit, the orbiter uses its maneuvering subsystem to adjust its path for rendezvous operations, and at the end of its mission for slowing down for return to Earth. The first Shuttle payload, planned for the second flight, will be a series of environmental and earth-resources experiments. One experiment will evaluate whether orbiting radar can be used to make geological maps good enough for oil and mineral exploration. Another will measure ocean color as a means of locating plankton or good fishing grounds. Other equipment will measure man-made carbon monoxide pollution in the atmosphere and study the structure of lightning from above. Although flight four will carry up either a science pallet or a military satellite, the main business of the first four flights will be checking out the spacecraft. Astronomers and scientists are looking forward to a new vision of space. Image Size: 16.5 x 25.5 in. Overall Size: 18 x 26.75 in. Unframed. (B06899) See More