Synopses & Reviews
Humanityandrsquo;s first reusable spacecraft and the most complex machine ever built, NASAandrsquo;s Space Shuttle debuted with great promise and as a dependable source of wonder and national pride. But with the Challenger catastrophe in 1986, the whole Space Shuttle program came into question, as did NASA itself, so long an institution that was seemingly above reproach. Wheels Stop tells the stirring story of how, after the Challenger disaster, the Space Shuttle not only recovered but went on to perform its greatest missions. From the Return to Flight mission of STS-26 in 1988 to the last shuttle mission ever on STS-135 in 2011, Wheels Stop takes readers behind the scenes as the shuttleandrsquo;s crews begin to mend Cold War tensions with the former Soviet Union, conduct vital research, deploy satellites, repair the Hubble Space Telescope, and assist in constructing the International Space Station. It also tells the heart-wrenching story of the Columbia tragedy and the loss of the magnificent STS-107 crew.
As complex as the shuttle was, the people it carried into orbit were often more soandmdash;and this is their story, too. Close encounters with astronauts, flight controllers, and shuttle workers capture the human side of the Space Shuttleandrsquo;s amazing journeyandmdash;and invite readers along for the ride.
Browse more spaceflight books at upinspace.org.
Review
and#8220;Elegantly written and scrupulously researched, this marvelous book not only opens a window on a truly dynamic period but is one of those rarities in spaceflight literatureand#8212;a compelling and enjoyable page-turner. It captures magnificently the remarkable spirit of those involved in the Apollo story.and#8221;and#8212;Charles M. Duke Jr., Apollo 16 astronaut and moonwalker
Review
and#8220;Like its predecessors in the Outward Odyssey series, this vivid and entertaining book reveals the human side of space exploration. We all too often think of the Apollo program as a technical achievement, when, in fact, it was the human element that made it successful.and#8221;and#8212;Al Worden, Apollo 15 astronaut and chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation
Review
"Drawing on extensive research and interviews with key figures in the space program, the authors convey the human drama and chart the technological marvels that went into the Apollo missions."—Quest Quest
Review
"[Footprints in the Dust is] an interesting account of US and Soviet lunar missions."and#8212;J.Z. Kiss, CHOICE
Review
and#8220;We who engaged ourselves in making the Apollo program a reality realize the tremendous importance and responsibility of inspiring young people, our future space pioneers. This book emphasizes the notion that seemingly ordinary people can do quite extraordinary things, and we are not bound by our dreams. A remarkable tale of triumph and melancholy.and#8221;and#8212;Ed Buckbee, author (with Wally Schirra) of The Real Space Cowboys
Review
"Engle and Armstrong devotees wonand#8217;t be disappointed with the stories about their heroes in this tome."and#8212;American Space
Review
"The X-15 Rocket Plane is an engaging account of America's push into space before pilots became astronauts, and America began a new era of exploration beyond the Earth to the Moon."and#8212;Anthony Young, Space Review
Review
"[The X-15 Rocket Plane is] aand#160;cogently written and well-deserved tribute to the individuals who helped take a winged rocket beyond Earth's confining atmosphere."and#8212;John Carver Edwards, Book Verdict
Review
"The importance of the X-15 on the early exploration of space and the subsequent development of the Shuttle program cannot be overstated."and#8212;Book Bit, WTBF-AM/FM
Review
and#8220;Long before the space shuttle, the United States was flying astronauts with the courage of lions into space aboard wings of steel. This is the story of the astonishing X-15, Americaand#8217;s first space plane, which broke records nearly every time it flew. It is a magnificent tale, well told in this meticulously researched book. Everyone with an interest in aviation, space, or high-flying adventure should read it.and#8221;and#8212;Homer Hickam, author of Rocket Boys
Review
and#8220;This book gives a fascinating and superbly detailed look into X-15 technology and the dedicated people who first took a winged craft beyond the atmosphere. Along the way it teaches valuable and pertinent lessons for those of us in the private space sector now working to build on that phenomenal legacy.and#8221;and#8212;Rick Searfoss, colonel, USAF retired, space shuttle commander and pilot, XCOR Aerospace chief test pilot
Review
andquot;This is a remarkably fine work, one that, despite all the writings on the X-15 to date, has found its own authentic voice.andquot;andmdash;Richard P. Hallion,and#160;Quest
Review
"The social element in this splendid book adds much to the overall history of this remarkably successful research aircraft."and#8212;Mick Jeffries, Aerospace
Review
"This book is essential reading and perhaps the perfect companion to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex's recently opened Atlantis exhibit."and#8212;Emily Carney, americaspace.com
Review
"This book is a welcome addition to the spectacular Outward Odyssey series and any space enthusiast's collection that does not carry itand#8212;is missing somethingand#160;vital.and#160;. . . [Boldand#160;They Rise]and#160;is at times gripping with the thrill found only in the "firsts" involved with anything to do with space exploration . . . a solid read which provides important information regarding NASA's program of record for more than thirty years."and#8212;Jason Rhian, spaceflightinsider.com
Review
"This book provides a fascinating, richly informed, and deeply personal view of a feat without parallel in the human story."and#8212;Bob Edmonds, McCormick Messenger
Review
and#8220;Read this book to experience the Space Shuttle as it matured. Smith and Hitt tap sources that made this aerospace wonderand#8217;s early history. Youand#8217;ll feel the needs and wants of those involved; the joys and sadness that came with conceiving, building, and flying this vehicle. Itand#8217;s a tripand#8212;I know.and#8221;and#8212;Charles D. Walker, engineer, corporate executive, first commercial industry astronaut, STS-41D, STS-51D, STS-61B
Review
and#8220;Although the shuttle program has now run its course, this wonderful book brings back the awe, the inspiration, the promise, and the sadness associated with the early history of those magnificent vehicles and the teams of ground and flight crews that flew them.and#8221;and#8212;Jerry L. Ross (Col., USAF, Ret.), NASA astronaut, STS-61B, -27, -37, -55, -74, -88, and -110, and author of Spacewalker: My Journey in Space and Faith as NASAand#8217;s Record-Setting Frequent Flyer
Review
and#8220;A rich, engaging account of the first years of the Space Shuttle era, Bold They Rise recounts the development and pioneering missions of a truly magnificent flying machine that helped open the door to space for scientists such as myself.and#8221;and#8212;Donald A. Thomas, NASA astronaut, STS-65, STS-70, STS-83, and STS-94
Review
"Houston preserves the candid reflections of some who wrote the shuttle's story aloft, and their exultations and confessions are reason enough to fly with them until "wheels stop.""and#8212;Air and Space
Review
"[An] enthusiastic portrayal of the heroic age of American space travel."and#8212;Publishers Weekly
Review
"Houston focuses on themes and makes extensive (and effective)and#160;use of oral histories provided by astronauts and others."and#8212;J. Z. Kiss, CHOICE
Review
and#8220;When we talk about the Space Shuttle, we talk about the people. Author Rick Houstonand#8217;s work here takes it a step further. He reaches to the heart and soul of the people.and#8221;and#8212;Milt Heflin, former lead Space Shuttle flight director and chief of the flight director office
Review
and#8220;With the Space Shuttle program now at an end, documenting the amazing thirty-year career of these iconic orbiters holds an untold amount of historical importance. Spaceflight isnand#8217;t easy, people pay in blood and sweat to make it happen. Author Rick Houston lends a voice to some of the key people involved in what is not only an American treasure but a global superstar.and#8221;and#8212;Chris Bergin, managing editor, NASASpaceflight.com
Review
andquot;Space enthusiasts will enjoy this work.andquot;andmdash;CHOICE
Synopsis
Following the fortieth anniversary of Apollo 11, as NASA prepares to return astronauts to the moon, Footprints in the Dust offers a thorough, engrossing, and multifaceted account of the Apollo missions.and#160;The flight of Apollo 11 was a triumph of human endeavor, persistence, and technology, one of the greatest achievements in human history. This book begins with the mission that sent Neil Armstrong and Edwin and#8220;Buzzand#8221; Aldrin to the moon, then follows American spaceflight through the harrowing rescue of Apollo 13 before moving on to the successful joint Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with key figures in the space program, the authors convey the human drama and chart the technological marvels that went into the Apollo missions. They also put the accomplishments of American spaceflight into historical context, examining the competitive space race with the Soviet Union, the roles of politics and personality in launching the mission, and the consequences, practical and profound, of this giant leap for mankind.
Synopsis
Following the fortieth anniversary of Apollo 11, as NASA prepares to return astronauts to the moon, Footprints in the Dust offers a thorough, engrossing, and multifaceted account of the Apollo missions.The flight of Apollo 11 was a triumph of human endeavor, persistence, and technology, one of the greatest achievements in human history. This book begins with the mission that sent Neil Armstrong and Edwin Buzz Aldrin to the moon, then follows American spaceflight through the harrowing rescue of Apollo 13 before moving on to the successful joint Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with key figures in the space program, the authors convey the human drama and chart the technological marvels that went into the Apollo missions. They also put the accomplishments of American spaceflight into historical context, examining the competitive space race with the Soviet Union, the roles of politics and personality in launching the mission, and the consequences, practical and profound, of this giant leap for mankind."
Synopsis
With the Soviet Unionandrsquo;s launch of the first Sputnik satellite in 1957, the Cold War soared to new heights as Americans feared losing the race into space.
The X-15 Rocket Plane tells the enthralling yet little-known story of the hypersonic X-15, the winged rocket ship that met this challenge and opened the way into human-controlled spaceflight.
Drawing on interviews with those who were there, Michelle Evans captures the drama and excitement of, yes, rocket science: how to handle the heat generated at speeds up to Mach 7, how to make a rocket propulsion system that could throttle, and how to safely reenter the atmosphere from space and make a precision landing.
This book puts a human face on the feats of science and engineering that went into the X-15 program, many of them critical to the development of the Space Shuttle. And, finally, it introduces us to the largely unsung pilots of the X-15. By the time of the Apollo 11 moon landing, thirty-one American astronauts had flown into spaceandmdash;eight of them astronaut-pilots of the X-15. The X-15 Rocket Plane restores these pioneers, and the others who made it happen, to their rightful place in the history of spaceflight.Browse more spaceflight books at upinspace.org.
Synopsis
After the Apollo program put twelve men on the moon and safely brought them home, anything seemed possible. In this spirit, the team at NASA set about developing the Space Shuttle, arguably the most complex piece of machinery ever created. The worldandrsquo;s first reusable spacecraft, it launched like a rocket, landed like a glider, and carried out complicated missions in between.and#160;and#160;
Bold They Rise tells the story of the Space Shuttle through the personal experiences of the astronauts, engineers, and scientists who made it happenandmdash;in space and on the ground, from the days of research and design through the heroic accomplishments of the program to the tragic last minutes of the
Challenger disaster. In the participantsandrsquo; own voices, we learn what so few are privy to: what it was like to create a new form of spacecraft, to risk oneandrsquo;s life testing that craft, to float freely in the vacuum of space as a one-man satellite, to witness a friendandrsquo;s death. A andldquo;guided tourandrdquo; of the shuttleandmdash;in historical, scientific, and personal termsandmdash;this book provides a fascinating, richly informed, and deeply personal view of a feat without parallel in the human story.
Browse more spaceflight books at upinspace.org.
About the Author
Colin Burgess is the coauthor of Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon; Into That Silent Sea: Trailblazers of the Space Era, 1961and#8211;1965; and In the Shadow of the Moon: A Challenging Journey to Tranquility, 1965and#8211;1969, all available from the University of Nebraska Press. Richard F. Gordon was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. He completed two space flights, as pilot and spacewalker on the Gemini 11 mission and as command module pilot for Apollo 12.and#160;Contributors: Philip Baker, Geoffrey Bowman, Colin Burgess, Stephen Cass, Melvin Croft, Rick Houston, Robert Pearlman, Dominic Phelan, Simon A. Vaughan, and John Youskauskas.