Reviews

"Well-researched. . . . Space-travel fans will delight in myriad details and copious interviews."—Publishers Weekly

"An interesting perspective and stands as a welcome addition to space-shuttle history."—Gilbert Taylor, Booklist

“I’m surprised that nobody has written a book about the payload specialist program before now. This program sponsored some outstanding on-orbit scientific research that was conducted by a truly diverse and dedicated group of extraordinary people. This is a great story of the shuttle era, extremely well researched and told.”—Col. Jerry L. Ross, USAF (Ret.), NASA astronaut and author of Spacewalker

“No history of the space shuttle program could ever be considered complete without exploring the many accomplishments of the payload specialists. This consistently fascinating book is packed from start to finish with previously untold and sometimes controversial stories that delve into an intriguing aspect of life and work aboard America’s space shuttles. The authors have done a magnificent job.”—Rick Houston, space historian and coauthor of Go, Flight!: The Unsung Heroes of Mission Control, 1965–1992

“Before being selected as a payload specialist, I had already worked with NASA’s astronauts, instructing them on ways to interpret different oceanographic features and patterns from orbit. I then flew my own journey of discovery with the crew of STS-41G. This wonderful book brought back so many memories of an amazing time, the beauty of our planet as seen from orbit, and some truly unforgettable people.”—Paul D. Scully-Power, payload specialist, STS-41G