In The Art of NASA, ultra-rare artworks illustrate a unique history of NASA hardware and missions from 1958 to today, giving readers an unprecedented look at how spacecraft, equipment, and missions evolved--and how they might have evolved.

"Published in celebration of the space agency's fiftieth anniversary, NASA/Art: 50 Years of Exploration presents an expanded selection of the works created for the NASA Art Program, which was established in 1963 to document the history of the agency." "Essays by astronaut Michael Collins, curator Tom D. Crouch, and novelist Ray Bradbury frame nearly 150 paintings, drawings, photographs, and sculptures chosen from the archives of NASA and the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. NASA/Art stands as a lasting record of the impact of space exploration on the artistic imagination."--BOOK JACKET.

An overview of the history of NASA and its role in modern space exploration, accompanied by sketches and paintings from American artists.

"Art and science both originate from the same human desire to understand the world within and around us. In the pages of this book, photographic art at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park is melded with cutting-edge natural sciences to search for common laws of nature through the power of observation and a willingness to embrace the unexpected. Biological evolution is the essential expression for this combination of photographic art and science. Mammoth is a window on the universe, through which fundamental understandings of nature can be directly applied around the world and throughout the cosmos."--provided by publisher.

This special collector’s edition of The Art of NASA adds 32 pages of new material, a presentation case, a new cover, a paper model of the Lunar Module, four postcards, and a rolled poster. ​

We grew to push the aircraft and ourselves to the edge but never beyond. Like restless folks, we kept raising the bar, decade after decade, we always found another peak to climb. (Story Musgrave). In 1967, Story Musgrave became an astronaut. During his thirty years with NASA, he flew the T-38 supersonic jet, now celebrating fifty years since its creation. This timeless beauty became central to Story's NASA world and to his six space flights, during which he routinely carried a camera to capture its grace and performance. According to Story, the T-38s will continue to maintain the spirit of the organization, the astronauts, and mission control. This stunning collection of private photographs puts you right in the middle of the action. For the space enthusiast and photographer, Story provides a first hand account of the people and planes, giving us a fascinating insight into the culture of the NASA flying world.