Space Memoir

The commonly held view of Albert Einstein is of an eccentric genius for whom the pursuit of science was everything. But in actuality, the brilliant innovator whose Theory of Relativity forever reshaped our understanding of time was a man of his times, always politically engaged and driven by strong moral principles. An avowed pacifist, Einstein’s mistrust of authority and outspoken social and scientific views earned him death threats from Nazi sympathizers in the years preceding World War II.

On January 28, 1986, NASA space shuttle orbiter Challenger lifted off into the clear blue skies over Florida on mission STS-51L, carrying a crew of seven, including teacher Christa McAuliffe. Just 73 seconds into the launch, a massive explosion tore Challenger apart. This newly revised edition of Teacher in Space tells the story of how McAuliffe graduated from her role as a much-loved high schoolteacher to occupying a seat on the veteran orbiter’s 10th and last flight into space.

In 1961, Wally Funk was among the Mercury 13, the first group of American pilots to pass the ‘Women in Space’ programme. Wally sailed through a series of rigorous physical and mental tests, her scores beating many of the male candidates, including those of John Glenn, the first American in orbit. But just one week before she was due to enter the final phase of training, the programme was abruptly cancelled. A combination of politics and prejudice meant that none of the women ever flew into space.

Wally Schirra was the only one of the original seven NASA astronauts to command a spacecraft in all three pioneering space programs - Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. This chronicle of his experiences takes us into space on Schirra's 1962 Mercury flight that orbited Earth six times and aboard Gemini for the first rendezvous of two manned craft in space.

Leland Melvin is the only person in human history to catch a pass in the National Football League and in space. Though his path from the gridiron to the heavens was riddled with setbacks and injury, Leland persevered to reach the stars. While training with NASA, Melvin suffered a severe injury that left him deaf. Leland was relegated to earthbound assignments but chose to remain and support his astronaut family. His loyalty paid off. Recovering partial hearing, he earned his eligibility for space travel.

Ted Swartz and his Ted & Company TheaterWorks team are known for blending Bible stories with comedy and poignancy, and pushing the envelope on issues of faith and social justice. But who is Ted Swartz? Follow along in this engaging memoir as Swartz finds his way as a middle child in an eastern Pennsylvania traditional Mennonite home to his early work in the family butcher shop. Journey with Ted through the decision of uprooting his young family to attend seminary and then embracing life as a writer and actor.

W czasach Kopernika nic nie wskazywało na to, że do największej naukowej rewolucji dojdzie w Europie. O gwiazdach Chińczycy i Arabowie wiedzieli więcej, ale to my jako pierwsi zrozumieliśmy, jakie jest miejsce Ziemi w kosmosie. Ktoś może powiedzieć, że to przede wszystkim zasługa Keplera, Galileusza, Newtona–ale gdybyśmy zapytali tych panów o zdanie, wskazaliby na dzieło bardzo skromnego, genialnego uczonego, który by pracować w spokoju nad swoim odkryciem, zaszył się na skraju Europy.

Get up close and personal with science as Andrew Kessler narrates his hilarious journey inside NASA’s Phoenix Mars mission - a historic enterprise manned by a motley crew of rocket scientists. The Phoenix Mars mission was the first man-made probe ever sent to the Martian arctic.

For many, the moon landing was the defining event of the twentieth century. So it seems only fitting that Norman Mailer - the literary provocateur who altered the landscape of American nonfiction - wrote the most wide-ranging, far-seeing chronicle of the Apollo 11 mission. A classic chronicle of America's reach for greatness in the midst of the Cold War, Of a Fire on the Moon compiles the reportage Mailer published between 1969 and 1970 in Life magazine

This engaging memoir reveals the true story of the Search for ExtraterrestrialIntelligence (SETI), and discloses what we may very soon discover. Chronicling the program’s history with insight and humor, SETI senior astronomer Seth Shostak assures us that if there is sentient life in the universe, we are within decades of picking up its signal.

The first popular introduction to Hawking's work, this program discusses the mysterious world of black holes, singularities, and the "big bang"--the point at which our universe may have begun.

Traci Shoblom is the youngest daughter of Apollo 12 astronaut Richard F. Gordon. She is an author, speaker, and a university lecturer. Although she’s published numerous nonfiction books, articles, academic chapters, scripts, and more, Apollo’s Creed is Traci’s “labor of love.” In it, she shares the stories, anecdotes, and wisdom that her dad told her at home—when the cameras were off.

In his final book, Helias Doundoulakis demystifies Arecibo for the novice, from dreams to drawings. The chronological account of the iconic telescope is made plain for all to see, which spanned six decades. Read how his brother, George Doundoulakis, undertook its conception and fielding, finally winning patent rights for his brother Helias, CIA director William Casey, and Gus Michalos. Follow the inseparable brothers on their journey of courage, inspiration, and brilliance that advanced the design of Arecibo and inspired generations of space scientists for years to come.

Christopher A. Roosa grew up the eldest son of Apollo 14 astronaut and command module pilot Stuart A. Roosa. As a child of the space program, Christopher had a ringside seat at the dinner table of one of twenty-four Americans who had either entered lunar orbit or landed on the moon.

Eminent scientist, investor of the particle accelerator, Princeton physics professor, and most importantly, inspiration to thousands in the space industry, Gerard K. O’Neill was a remarkable individual whose impact changed the world. Yet, he isn’t as well known as recent space contemporaries Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.

Het laatste boek van professor Stephen Hawking. Hoe is alles begonnen? Is er intelligent leven elders in het heelal? Kunnen we de toekomst voorspellen? Bestaat er een God? Wat zit er in een zwart gat? Zijn tijdreizen mogelijk? Zullen we overleven op aarde? Moeten we de ruimte koloniseren? Zal kunstmatige intelligentie slimmer worden dan wij? Hoe geven wij de toekomst vorm? De wereldberoemde wetenschapper en bestsellerauteur Stephen Hawking laat ons zijn laatste ideeën over de grootste vragen van het universum na in dit briljante postuum uitgegeven werk.

This is the first biography in English of Nikolai Ivanovich Kibalchich, who was hanged as the explosives technician of the "People's Will" party of terrorists who assassinated Russian Tsar Alexander II with a thrown grenade on March 1, 1881. While in prison awaiting execution, Kibalchich conceived and drew the design of the first rocket-powered human-piloted flying device, thus qualifying him in history as a "terrorist rocket pioneer".

In 1910, Mary Acworth Evershed (1867-1949) sat on a hill in southern India staring at the moon as she grappled with apparent mistakes in Dante's Divine Comedy. Was Dante's astronomy unintelligible? Or was he, for a man of his time and place, as insightful as one could be about the sky? As the 20th century began, women who wished to become professional astronomers faced difficult cultural barriers, but Evershed joined the British Astronomical Association and, from an Indian observatory, became an experienced observer of sunspots, solar eclipses, and variable stars.

Only 24 human beings have traveled to the moon. Theirs were the most daring voyages in mankind's history, and their view of Earth from the moon changed them and the way we see our home planet. Now in their emeritus years, the 12 remaining lunar explorers for the first time reveal the true source of courage, leadership, and the quiet patriotism that it took to accomplish their missions. Their voyages to the moon led them to the most incredible discovery of all: our home planet and its precious place in the universe.

The first ever in-depth analysis of the tactics and equipment used by the heroes and villains of the Star Wars universe has arrived! Spanning all of the films, this comprehensive audiobook goes into detail about the various guerrilla tactics of the Rebel Alliance and the awe-inspiring might of the Grand Army of the Republic and Darth Vader's Empire.