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Riding Rockets

The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut

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Riding Rockets

Written by: Mike Mullane
Narrated by: Joel Richards
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About this listen

In 1978, the first group of space shuttle astronauts was introduced to the world - 29 men and six women who would carry NASA through the most tumultuous years of the space shuttle program. Among them was USAF Colonel Mike Mullane, who, in his memoir Riding Rockets, strips the heroic veneer from the astronaut corps and paints them as they are - human.

Mullane's tales of arrested development among military flyboys working with feminist pioneers and post-doc scientists are sometimes bawdy, often comical, and always entertaining. He vividly portrays every aspect of the astronaut experience, from telling a female technician which urine-collection condom size is a fit to hearing "Taps" played over a friend's grave. He is also brutally honest in his criticism of a NASA leadership whose bungling would precipitate the Challenger disaster - killing four members of his group. A hilarious, heartfelt story of life in all its fateful uncertainty, Riding Rockets will resonate long after the call of "Wheel stop".

©2006 Mike Mullane (P)2017 Tantor Military & War Physics Professionals & Academics Air Force US Air Force Space Station Witty Funny Heartfelt Military
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What the critics say

"A thoroughly absorbing story.... A strong addition to science and space collections of any size." ( Booklist)

What listeners say about Riding Rockets

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Eye Opening

This book travels through an uncomfortable time and times, with wry humor and blatant observations.

The story is told without excessive techno-garble, describes fear, humility, adoration, and frankness.

Like other 'astronaut' biographies which I have listened to or read, the story is necessarily long.

The narrator's voice suits the story, with some animation, and a good cadence.

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