Spacewalker: My Journey in Space and Faith as NASA's Record-Setting Frequent Flyer

Colonel Ross, the most-launched astronaut in US Space Shuttle history, paints an insider's portrait of life following the stars. A man of great faith, as well as a determined and relentless worker whose goal was to fly in space, Ross details his childhood, years at Purdue, career in the Air Force, and upward journey to achieve honors in the multi-faceted space industry. His writing addresses technical subjects with ease and clarity, and readers will not only feel the thrill of being in space, but also the anxieties and discomforts. "From our normal orbital altitude of about two hundred miles, I could see more than one thousand miles in any direction%E2%80%A6From low Earth orbit one can see a sunrise and a sunset every ninety minutes, each more vivid, unusual, and beautiful than the last." It was not all success, however, as he faced the devastating losses of the Challenger and Columbia, accidents that took the lives of friends. Over his long career, Ross aided the development of the International Space Station and groundbreaking international partnerships; his is a fascinating story of daring in a bygone era of space exploration. 33 color and 8 b/w illustrations. (Feb.)