Product Description
From the competitive spirit ignited by Sputnik to the tragedies and triumphs of the Apollo missions, from the technological leap forward created by the Space Shuttle to the global cooperation forged by the International Space Station and beyond, NPR examines the inspirational story of modern space exploration and the extraordinary individuals who made it possible. Featuring in-depth profiles of landmark missions, along with interviews and commentary from voices that have lived the dream, including astronauts John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Bernard Harris, Sally Ride, and many more.
Contents:
Contents:
- Introduction by Joe Palca
- So You Want to Be an Astronaut
- A History of Manned Space Travel
- Sputnik, Space Race Mirror a Personal Journey
- Legacy of Space Race on U.S. Education
- Space Race Permeated Pop Culture
- Khrushchev, Schorr Look Back on Sputnik
- Sputnik in Space and Song
- Explorer I, America’s Answer to Sputnik
- John Glenn, a Hero Well Before Orbiting Earth
- John Glenn on 50 Years Since His First Orbit
- The Mercury 13: Training U.S. Women for Space
- NASA’s Longest Serving Astronaut Retires
- Apollo 8 Moon Mission Still Awes
- Early Days of NASA
- Reflections on the Apollo I Disaster
- Apollo 11 Moon Landing
- Houston, We Erased the Apollo 11 Tapes
- Apollo 15: The First Space Walk
- Apollo 17 Lands on the Moon
- Mr. Rogers and Apollo 15
- One Small Town’s Big Role in the Apollo Missions
- A Small Step to the Moon, Giant Leap to Mars
- Introducing the Space Shuttle
- The First Space Shuttle Lifts Off
- For Bernard Harris, More than “One Small Step for Man”
- Challenger Disaster
- Eileen Collins, Shuttle Commander, Inspires
- Woman Astronaut Sally Ride
- Columbia Disaster
- Shuttle Legacy: Grand, Though Not What Was Planned
- Curiosity Is on Mars, Now What?
- Aboard the Space Station, It’s a Beautiful World
- Last Hubble Repair Mission
- Space Station’s Best Days Are Still Ahead
- Vacation in Space? Possible . . . For the Rich
- Virtual Space Elevator
Reviews/Praise
—AudioFile
“These informative accounts display excellent journalism and will be deeply appealing to listeners who are even slightly interested in the topic.”
—Library Journal
Author Bio
Host JOE PALCA is a science correspondent for NPR. Since joining NPR in 1992, Palca has covered a range of science topics—everything from biomedical research to astronomy. In addition to his science reporting, Palca occasionally fills in as guest host on Science Friday with Ira Flatow. He is the co-author of Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us.
