This is an original double-sided NASA document from mid-1988 featuring two important Return-to-Flight communications on opposite sides of the same sheet.
Side 1 – James C. Fletcher
• Date: July 11, 1988
• From: Office of the Administrator, NASA Headquarters
• Titled “A Message from the NASA Administrator”
• Signed by James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator
• Discusses the upcoming return of the Space Shuttle Discovery on the 26th mission (STS-26), the deployment of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, and the broader challenges of restoring America’s space program after the Challenger accident.
Side 2 – Richard H. Truly
• Date: June 10, 1988
• From: M/Associate Administrator for Space Flight
• Subject: Return to Flight
• Addressed to “NASA’s Space Shuttle Team”
• Signed by Richard H. Truly
• Expresses pride in the NASA and industry team for rebuilding a stronger, safer program and closes with “Hold your hat—we’re about to FLY again!”
Historical Context:
These messages were issued in the critical months leading up to STS-26, the first Space Shuttle flight after the Challenger disaster. Fletcher and Truly were the two senior NASA leaders most closely associated with the Return-to-Flight effort.
Condition:
Original NASA letterhead. Double-sided as issued. Please see photos of both sides for exact condition. Typical light handling consistent with age and storage.
A rare opportunity to own both of these key 1988 Return-to-Flight communications on a single original document.
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