Synopsis
From the age of ten, looking up at the stars, Jerry Ross knew that he wanted to journey into space. This autobiography tells the story of how he came not only to achieve that goal, but to become the most-launched astronaut in history, as well as a NASA veteran whose career spanned the entire US Space Shuttle program. From his childhood in rural Indiana, through education at Purdue University, and a career in the US Air Force, Ross charted a path to NASA after overcoming many setbacks―from failing to qualify for Air Force pilot training because of “bad” eyesight, to an initial failure to be selected into the astronaut program.
The majority of the book is an insider’s account of the US Space Shuttle program, including the unforgettable experience of launch, the delights of weightless living, and the challenges of constructing the International Space Station. Ross is a uniquely qualified narrator. During seven spaceflights, he spent 1,393 hours in space, including 58 hours and 18 minutes on nine space walks. Life on the ground is also described, including the devastating experiences of the Challenger and Columbia disasters.
For readers who have followed the space program from Mercury through the International Space Station and wonder what comes next, this book provides fascination; for young people interested in space exploration and reaching for their dreams, whatever they might be, this book provides inspiration. Full of stories of spaceflight that few humans have ever experienced, told with humour and honesty, Spacewalker presents a unique perspective on the hard work, determination, and faith necessary to travel beyond this world.
About the Author
Jerry Lynn Ross is an Indiana native, a graduate of Purdue University, a retired United States Air Force officer, and a former astronaut who retired from NASA in 2012. Colonel Ross is a veteran of seven US Space Shuttle missions and shares an individual world record for the most spaceflights flown. He is the author of Becoming a Spacewalker: My Journey to the Stars (2014) and The Diaries of Harriet “Hattie” Dillabaugh 1889–1940 (2015).
John Norberg is a writer based in West Lafayette, Indiana. A member of the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame, Norberg is the author of seven books, including Wings of Their Dreams (2003) about the role of aviation’s pioneers and trailblazers in the history of flight and space.
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