During the 1970s, efforts to teach and research the social science and humanities aspects of the space program were reintensified. A 1978 survey of faculty suggested the need for a single volume that united introductory material on the various social science disciplines and the classroom experience of faculty already teaching in the field. This volume is the response to that need. It focuses primarily on the space shuttle era (1980s and 1990s) and is divided into four parts. Chapter one outlines characteristics and attributes of the shuttle and the technologies scheduled for transport to orbit. Chapter two is organized into sections representing seven disciplines (economics, history, international law and relations, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology) which allow faculty to relate a specific discipline to space technology and to adapt space-related issues to the teaching of that discipline. Chapter three presents materials for teaching interdisciplinary courses and topics, including observations from instructors who have offered such courses, and insights from faculty who have analyzed space technologies in debate format. The last section contains appendices with representative bibliographies, syllabi, and other materials (organized by discipline or interdisciplinary approach) which are most useful in curriculum development rather than for identifying teaching objectives. (JN)