The Final Orbit

This book provides a unique opportunity to look inside the world of manned space flight tracking through the eyes of a man who was at the heart of it for over twenty years. It combines the personal touch of a memoir with the presentation of a wealth of technical information, which is not available anywhere else.

What is presented here preserves history, and ensures that the remarkable achievements of the tracking of manned space flight are remembered.

Discover how manned spaceflights were tracked from ground stations after the closure of the Manned Space Flight Network in 1972, and gain an insight into how the tracking processes grew and evolved through a review of some early history of the field.

The book is extensively illustrated, with preserved documents as well as photographs from the history of the station.

“Since Orroral Valley became operational as a STADAN station in 1965, The station has supported a variety of NASA and international space programs including NIMBUS, ISEE, ASTP, OAO, Skylab Re-entry, ALSEP and Shuttle. This support has been of the highest calber… 

It has been a great pleasure having the Orroral station as part of the STDN and will miss  the excellent support she has given. My personal thanks for a job well done.”

Robert O. Aller

Associate Administrator for Space Tracking And Data Systems.

21 December 1984