As of late, an interest in space exploration has risen and we’re discovering more and more astounding photography of our incredible vessels that make the journey possible. Last month, we brought you the incredible photos of America’s Space Shuttle Program by Dan Winters and today we’re pleased to share photographer Ben Cooper’s series of images, giving us some insight on the inner workings of some spacecrafts.
Cooper’s series, simply known as Flight Decks, takes us inside three space shuttles–Endeavour, Atlantis, and Discovery. The photos in this series reveal the intense technology that astronauts have to work with. Video games make it seem like fun and games to pilot a rocket-launched vehicle, but it clearly involves a lot more knowledge than simply steering around with a joystick. There are countless levers, switches, buttons, dials, and screens to man both in front, behind, and overhead. As if astronauts didn’t warrant enough high regards for their brainpower, this series is sure to foster the utmost respect for the space travelers who have the mental capacity to handle all of those controls.
Prints of Cooper’s insider’s look at space shuttles can be purchased through his website.
Ben Cooper website
via [Ian Brooks]