Bringing Columbia Home

Name: Bringing Columbia Home
Brand: NewSouth Books
SKU: 9781628728514
Price: 54.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

The Untold Story of a Lost Space Shuttle and Her Crew

By Jonathan H. Ward and Michael D. Leinbach

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Summary

Bringing Columbia Home recounts the harrowing true story following the 2003 space shuttle Columbia disaster. When the shuttle disintegrated on reentry, all seven astronauts aboard were lost. NASA's Launch Director Mike Leinbach spearheaded the historic search and recovery operation across east Texas, mobilising hundreds of agencies and volunteers to recover shuttle debris and crew remains over an area the size of Rhode Island. This comprehensive narrative unfolds in four parts, detailing confusion, courage, recovery efforts, and ultimate resolve. The book reveals the deeply personal challenges faced by those involved and how their united efforts helped piece together the tragedy to enable the shuttle programme’s safe return.

Enhanced by forewords from astronauts Robert Crippen and Eileen Collins, it offers an inspiring testament to human resilience and cooperation amid profound loss and tragedy.
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Format: Hardback

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Bringing Columbia Home

$54⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This powerful memoir will resonate with readers interested in space exploration, NASA history, and true stories of heroism. It’s especially suited to those seeking insight into the human spirit behind disaster recovery and the technical challenges of space shuttle missions.

A Powerful Look at a Shared National Disaster and Its Legacy

Description

Timed to release for the 15th Anniversary of the Columbia space shuttle disaster, this is the epic true story of one of the most dramatic, unforgettable adventures of our time.

On February 1, 2003, Columbia disintegrated on re-entry before the nation's eyes, and all seven astronauts aboard were lost. Author Mike Leinbach, Launch Director of the space shuttle program at NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center, was a key leader in the search and recovery effort. NASA, FEMA, the FBI, the US Forest Service, and dozens more federal, state, and local agencies combed an area of rural east Texas the size of Rhode Island for every piece of the shuttle and her crew they could find. Assisted by hundreds of volunteers, it became the largest ground search operation in US history.

This comprehensive account is told in four parts:

Parallel Confusion
Courage, Compassion, and Commitment
Picking Up the Pieces
A Bittersweet Victory

For the first time, here is the definitive inside story of the Columbia disaster and recovery and the inspiring message it ultimately holds. In the aftermath of tragedy, people and communities came together to help bring home the remains of the crew and nearly 40 percent of the shuttle. This effort was instrumental in piecing together what happened so that the shuttle program could return to flight and complete the International Space Station.

Bringing Columbia Home shares the deeply personal stories that emerged as NASA employees looked for lost colleagues. Searchers overcame immense physical, logistical, and emotional challenges and worked together to accomplish the impossible.

Featuring a foreword and epilogue by astronauts Robert Crippen and Eileen Collins, and dedicated to the astronauts and recovery search personnel who lost their lives, this is an incredible, compelling narrative about the best of humanity in the darkest of times. It is about how a failure at the pinnacle of human achievement became a story of cooperation and hope.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781628728514

Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 08 February 2018

Country: United States

Imprint: Arcade Publishing

Contributors:

Retired Col. Eileen M. Collins, USAF
Foreword by Robert Crippen

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 36.0mm

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 610g

Pages: 400

Collections

Biography & Memoir Jonathan H. Ward Michael D. Leinbach Non-Fiction Science & Technology Biographies

About the Author

Michael D. Leinbach was the last launch director in the space shuttle program at NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center, responsible for overall shuttle launch countdown activities until the end of the program in 2011. In November 2004, Leinbach was awarded the prestigious 2004 Presidential Rank Award. He lives in Scottsmoor, Florida.

Jonathan H. Ward works to bring the thrill of the space program to life for the general public as a Solar System Ambassador for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and as a frequent speaker on space exploration topics to interest groups and at regional conferences. He is the author of two previous books on space exploration. He lives in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Captain Robert L. Crippen, USN, Retired (foreword) was Columbia's first pilot. He received a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas in 1960. He has received numerous special honors, including the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, three Distinguished Service Medals, the US Navy Distinguished Flying Cross, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the FAA's Award for Distinguished Service, the Goddard Memorial Trophy, the Harmon Trophy, four NASA Space Flight Medals, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Award, the American Aeronautical Society Flight Achievement Award, the National Geographic Society's Gardiner Greene Hubbard Medal, the Aviation Hall of Fame 1981 Al J. Engel Award, American Legion's Distinguished Service Medal, the Society of Experimental Test Pilots Ivan C. Kincheloe Award, and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal. He lives in Orlando, Florida.

Colonel Eileen Collins, USAF, Retired (epilogue) became NASA's first female shuttle commander on a 1999 mission in the Columbia. She holds a master's degree in mathematics and economics from Syracuse University, a master's degree in operations research from Stanford University, and a master's degree in space systems management from Webster University. She is from Elmira, New York.