Diary of an Apprentice Astronaut

An enthralling memoir from the inspiring astronaut who spent six months in space—and is going back to the International Space Station just as the paperback is published.

In space, the sun rises and sets 16 times a day. You fly over every sea, every mountain and desert, every city and every port. The most ordinary things—eating, sleeping, brushing your teeth or cutting your hair—have to be relearned until they become familiar again. This is the story of Samantha Cristoforetti's incredible journey to becoming an astronaut, and her journey beyond Earth.

Her voyage as an apprentice astronaut began when she was in her early thirties—five years of intense training around the world, from Houston to Japan to the legendary Star City in Russia. Countless hours were spent in centrifuges, spaceship simulators, and underwater for spacewalk practice. Then, one day, a rocket was waiting for her on the launch pad. After eight minutes of wild ascent, she was on orbit, crunched up with her two crewmates in a tiny spaceship that took them to the International Space Station. This is an enthralling, inspiring, and surprisingly down-to-earth story about what it really takes to pursue your dreams.

Diary of an Apprentice Astronaut offers a unique insight into life in space, showing readers both the awe-inspiring and the mundane aspects of life beyond our planet.