This new edition of Space Stations: Base Camp to the Stars , winner of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics History Manuscript Award, has been fully updated to tell the complete story of the vision, technological achievement and political infighting that led to the establishment of the first space stations. From winged rocket ships, to the epic, controversy-wracked sagas of Mir and the International Space Station, this highly original blend of history and popular culture explains why the dream of a permanently occupied space outpost has captivated so many for so long. Ninety-five arresting images, many rare and never before published, illustrate this thought-provoking narrative of the evolution of the space station as cultural icon.