by Andrew & Dalia Miller
 

INSIDE 3D eZine  ~March 6, 2003~

In the forty-six years of man’s travel into space, no other vehicle is so identified with space travel as the Space Shuttle. The program which began in 1972 and saw its first flight in 1981, did more in the minds of everyone to make the concept of space travel routine.

Starting with the one-man Mercury flights, the two-man Gemini flights, and the three-man Apollo flights, most Americans and millions of other people from around the world followed each launch with much anticipation while glued to their TVs and/or radios. Now, with over 100 flights of the six American Space Shuttles and one Russian Space Shuttle, each flight, while news worthy, is considered so routine, any live TV coverage is relegated to minor cable broadcast stations.

But the second Space Shuttle disaster, seventeen years after the first, has reminded us once again of man’s mortality and that there is nothing routine about leaving the confines of one’s terrestrial roots to travel into the cosmos.

And with this terrible tragedy, there is a renewal of our interest in these remarkable technological creations. So here, INSIDE 3D eZine takes a quick look at the Space Shuttle through the images and products that View-Master produced to thrill both child and adult with the wonder of these magnificent vehicles.

History and Genealogy
The concept of a reusable, winged (maneuverable) space plane had its beginnings as far back as Nazi Peenemunde after the first few successful flights of the V2 rockets, but it wasn’t until after man had stepped foot on the moon, that America began looking towards a Space Station and a Space Taxi to get back and forth. After some years of development, budget cuts eliminated hopes for an American Space Station, so NASA was left with an almost developed Space Taxi, which soon changed its name to the Space Shuttle.

The Space Shuttle was designed to carry up to seven people, plus various payloads, usually military and commercial satellites, conduct medical and scientific experiments. Or it was able to reach, repair, or retrieve satellites, and then return to earth (de-orbit) and maneuver to make its one chance dry landing.

The Space Shuttle is actually made up of four components:

• the winged vehicle often referred to as the Space Shuttle is the Orbiter;

• it is connected to the disposable External Tank which contains liquid fuel, and

• two retrievable, reusable Rocket Boosters, containing solid fuel propellant..

There were six American Space Shuttle Orbiters: Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour, plus the Russian Space Shuttle Orbiter: Buran. The Enterprise was a test vehicle and never traveled into space. The Challenger, failed and was destroyed on its ninth flight; the Endeavour was built to replace the Challenger. The Russian Space Shuttle Orbiter never flew after its first flight in 1988, because of Russian budgetary constraints. The oldest space traveling Space Shuttle Orbiter, Columbia, failed on reentry after more than 25 flights.

View-Master Celebrates the Space Shuttle
One can divide the series of Space Shuttle 3 Reel Sets into seven versions distinguished by their cover design. The first three versions differ in only minor aspects, but may be fun to distinguish. The last three versions represent an updating from the first three versions, while their differences between each other are again only minor.

View-Master presents the Enterprise and the First Launch of the Columbia
The First Version:
As early as 1982, View-Master produced its first and only 3 reel packet. Numbered, Packet M 36, entitled, Special Subjects –Era of the SPACE SHUTTLE, a V2 style packet by the View-Master International Group.

The Second Version:
The first 3 reel set produced on a Blister Card (reels under a clear plastic bubble attached to a hang-up card) is an identical set as the packet. Copyright 1982, by View-Master International Group, entitled, ERA OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE, same cover pictures too including the inset of a night scene.

The only difference between Packet M36 and Blister Pak 2069 is the new Blister Card number: 2069, yet the reels were still numbered M 36, but no longer were the images on the low quality non-archival film, so the images retain their color today.

The Third Version:
This 3 reel set produced on a Blister Card is an identical set as the packet M36. Copyright 1982, by View-Master International Group, entitled, ERA OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE. The third set differs from the previous two only by a change in the picture on the card. Gone is the nighttime inset. Gone is the first Launch of the Columbia, replaced by a later launch of a Space Shuttle.
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After five years, it’s time for some new images. View-Master Updates the Space Shuttle Set with Discovery Images
The Fourth Version:
The fourth version is a View-Master Ideal Group issue, both the card and the reels have a new number: 4079. The set is entitled, THE SPACE SHUTTLE –THE PRACTICAL USES OF SPACE. It is copyrighted 1982 and 1987. The card’s cover picture is the same as the third version, with the Discovery and its brown External Tank.

The Fifth Version:
The View-Master Ideal Group became a subsidiary of Tyco Toys, Inc., and without any change made to the reels, the card is redesigned as TYCO View-Master.

The Sixth Version:
A newly designed cover signals the acquisition of View-Master by Fisher-Price Mattel, copyrighted 1999.

Other Space Shuttle Images on 3 Reel Sets
John F. Kennedy Space Center Florida.

Several different versions of this 3 reel set were produced over the years. The first versions pictured a much smaller model of the Space Shuttle Orbiter, because that was what was on display at the museum.  Later, when the full life size model was built and put on display at the museum, the image was updated on the 3 reel set.

Secrets of  Space & Conquering Space:
Two subsequent space theme 3 reel sets have images of Space Shuttles.

In Secrets of Space, a 3 reel set numbered 34032, a 1999 release, made in collaboration with the Discovery Channel, Reel B is devoted entirely to the Space Shuttles.

Latest in the space themed 3 reel sets is Conquering Space, numbered 73942, intended as a chronological trip through the forty-six years of conquering space, with a time line above the images. Unfortunately, the quality of the images are so poor, it is difficult to determine which Space Shuttles are shown in the seven images on Reels B and C.

A quick unofficial count tallies up approximately 48 different images in the six versions of the Space Shuttle 3 reel sets plus the other 3 reel sets that feature, in part, the Space Shuttles. And excusing the last set, which should embarrass Fisher-Price Mattel, View-Master has given to the world a collection of 3D images that is especially significant and important for us all.

 
 

Thanks to 3D collector, Sheldon Aronowitz,  for providing material for this article.

We welcome  comments or corrections.  Contact us at support@3dstereo.com.

©2003-INSIDE 3D Magazine 

 
View-Master presents the Enterprise and the First Launch of the Columbia
The First Version:
View-Master did not miss out on the popularity of the Space Shuttle. As early as 1982, View-Master produced its first and only (in envelope) 3 reel packet, numbered, No. M 36.

On the jacket cover the inset picture is of the Enterprise sitting on the pad in 1979 waiting for non-flight vibration tests. The main picture is of the Columbia in a T+6 seconds launch position of its April 12, 1981 flight, the first space flight of any Space Shuttle.

The significance of this packet is that the first Space Shuttle Launch, the Columbia was captured in 3D for all View-Master collectors to enjoy, even though the film was not archival and has shifted to magenta.

Packet M 36:
Reel A is all Enterprise which only flew in the atmosphere for landing tests from on top of a specially rigged Boeing 747. All the images show the Enterprise with its protective engine cone attached in the back. The Enterprise’s last two of its five tests were with the cone removed, exposing the engines, which help to date the images to 1977 and 1978.

Reel B shows the Enterprise in Florida for tests attached to the External Tank and the two boosters which took place in 1979.

Reel C contains three 3D images of the first Columbia Launch, albeit from a great distance, yet labeled Close-up of Columbia Launch. The Packet cover picture (T+6 sec.) is second in the sequence if added to the three images on the reel. The final image of the Columbia Orbiter is a flat image of the landing approach.

The Third Version
This 3 reel set produced on a Blister Card is an identical set as the packet M36. It is numbered 2069, yet the reels were still numbered M 36. Copyright 1982, by View-Master International Group, entitled, ERA OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE. Without changing an image on the reels, neither any of the copyrights, title, nor numbers, the third set differs from the previous two only by a change in the picture on the card. Gone is the nighttime inset. Gone is the first Launch of the Columbia, replaced by a later launch of a Space Shuttle. We know it is a later launch because the External Tank is painted brown as it was for the third and every subsequent launch. Although unnamed on the card, the launch is the first launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery on November, 1984

After five years, it’s time for some new images. View-Master Updates the Space Shuttle Set with Discovery Images
The Fourth Version:

The update of the Space Shuttle 3 reel set begins with no real update of Reel A for it reuses the same Enterprise pictures from the first three versions.

Reel B contains the same launch images of the Columbia, but added are the first View-Master 3D images of a Space Shuttle Orbiter at work in space. We see 3D cloud formations, and 3D images of crew members working in the open payload bay. Though the Space Shuttle is unnamed, it is again probably scenes taken on the November 8, 1984 flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery.


Reel C contains more 3D images of a Space Shuttle at work, including a look at the robot arm, placing a satellite in orbit, satellite repair, and walking in space with Space Pack. Also in the reel is a disappointing flat, paste up of the Space Shuttle Discovery landing, and of the crew deplaning down a stair ramp.

The Fifth Version

At this time, the View-Master Ideal Group became a subsidiary of Tyco Toys, Inc., and without any change made to the reels, the card is redesigned as TYCO View-Master. The title is the same as its forerunner, THE SPACE SHUTTLE –THE PRACTICAL USES OF SPACE with copyright date of 1991. The cover picture, card set number, and set title remain the same.

The Sixth Version

The reel printing, redesigned cover and View-Master logo change to the Fisher-Price style, but little else. One Enterprise image is brought back to replace another on Reel A, and six captions are reworded without a change in images. And today, 3 Reel Sets of this sixth version come with a narrow Made in Mexico sticker added on the back, and the reel faces are now printed one in red, one in blue, and one in green ink.

Copyrighted 1996 and 1998, Fisher-Price Mattel issued the 3 reel set no. 35920, JOHN F. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER FLORIDA without redesigning the cover with its own logo. It contains five Space Shuttle images: the launch of the Discovery; two images of the full size model of a Space Shuttle Orbiter in the museum; the Rocket Boosters and External Tank; and the cargo bay of the Enterprise Orbiter

 
Space Theme 3-reel sets

In Secrets of Space, a 3 reel set numbered 34032, a 1999 release, made in collaboration with the Discovery Channel, Reel B is devoted entirely to the Space Shuttles, featuring images of an Endeavour launch, Payload work-a-day tasks, Shuttle eye’s view of the Hubbel Space Telescope, and Endeavour touchdown. These images are likely from the December 2, 1993 mission when the Endeavour serviced and repaired the Hubbel Space Telescope launched 39 months earlier by Discovery. This Discovery Channel set has the most exciting images and best 3D, as NASA was getting in closer and taking more 3D shots. Many flat insert images adorn the seven images, and while it is disappointing to see these images flat, they add to fill the screen well.  These 3 reels are available  on a card or with a reel storage case in deep purple