On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia was completing what appeared to be a 'routine' spaceflight. Columbia was NASA's oldest shuttle - the very first launched into space (in 1981). Now at the end of its 28th mission - a 16-day flight dedicated to science - it was descending over Texas and just minutes from its scheduled touch-down in Florida. Then something went very wrong. Within a few minutes, media around the globe were reporting the terrible news: The shuttle had broken apart and its crew had perished in a catastrophic, shocking accident. Columbia and its seven astronauts had suddenly become, in the global public eye, anything but routine.' 'But who were these seven astronauts? They were described as heroes and saints in their eulogies, butwhat were they really like? And what was the purpose of their mission? Only a handful of reporters actually covered STS-107 (NASA's official name for the mission) from the start, and Philip Chien was one of them. In Columbia - Final Voyage, he describes not just the days and hours leading up to the launch, but the years of training by the crew. How seven people from different backgrounds came together as a team, the seeming endless delays that plagued the mission, the technological and safety challenges facing NASA, and the ingenuity of the scientists who designed Columbia's experiments. And, after years of reporting on the shuttle program and following the progress of STS-107 and its crew, he brings a particularly personal perspective to his descriptions of the seven astronauts who lost their lives. Includes information on Rick Husband, Willie McCool, Dave Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Mike Anderson, Laurel Clark, Ilan Ramon, The search for debris, Was a rescue possible, Memorials, Legacy: the science not lost, charities, etc.

Product Description: The Tiberians--long-extinct beings that once visited Earth--have left a record of their civilization on the Moon and Mars. In a cruel twist of fate, veteran astronaut Chris Terence loses his life trying to recover this treasure. Yet his family is determined to continue the mission--leading them on an epic adventure to Mars and beyond, in a race to avoid the Tiberians' doomed destiny...read more

Reveals the harrowing details of sixteen history-making flights, including Louis Bleriot's seminal exploits, Ross Smith's trouble-plagued flight from London to Australia, Lindbergh's solo journey across the Atlantic, and the Magellans of the Air on a round-the-world air race.

Experts answer questions posed by elementary school children regarding space travel and exploration.

Surveys the history of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, describing the major space craft and missions launched.

Answers to questions about space and space travel are provided in an accessible and fact-filled reference that encompasses explanations of all aspects of space, including planets, telescopes, the origins of the universe, and discoveries made by Nicolaus Copernicus, Edwin Hubble, and Stephen Hawking, among other distinguished scientists.

An Apollo 11 astronaut takes readers on his journey that began in his childhood and led him to achieve his dream of walking on the moon, bringing to life an unparalleled moment in history for a new generation.

An Apollo 11 astronaut takes readers on his journey that began in his childhood and led him to achieve his dream of walking on the moon, bringing to life an unparalleled moment in history for a new generation and showing how everyone can strive to achieve their dreams.

Former astronaut Scott Blackstone finds his reputation and the future of space travel on the line in the wake of a terrible shuttle accident, but he faces a new challenge when a nuclear explosion in space threatens the lives of the construction crew on the International Space Station