Hard Hat, Space Shuttle Program, Dennis Jenkins

This hardhat with the Space Shuttle Program emblem was worn during work around the Space Shuttle orbiter during the initial rollout of the vehicle. It belonged to Dennis Jenkins, a consulting aerospace engineer for the Space Shuttle program for 35 years, and author of Space Shuttle: The History of the National Space Transportation System, a definitive book detailing the development and first 100 flights of the space shuttles.

Over the course of the 135 Space Shuttle Program missions, thousands of workers were employed in the maintenance of the space shuttle orbiters. Safety equipment, such as this hardhat, provided a measure of protection within this workplace.

Designed as a reusable spacecraft capable of flights to low Earth orbit, space shuttle orbiters carried astronauts to conduct scientific experiments, launch and repair satellites, and construct the International Space Station.

This hardhat was donated to the National Air and Space Museum by Dennis Jenkins in September 2011.