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Shuttle, Houston

My Life in the Center Seat of Mission Control

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
From the longest-serving Flight Director in NASA's history comes a revealing account of high-stakes Mission Control work and the Space Shuttle program that has redefined our relationship with the universe.
A compelling look inside the Space Shuttle missions that helped lay the groundwork for the Space Age, Shuttle, Houston explores the determined personalities, technological miracles, and eleventh-hour saves that have given us human spaceflight.
Relaying stories of missions (and their grueling training) in vivid detail, Paul Dye, NASA's longest-serving Flight Director, examines the split-second decisions that the directors and astronauts were forced to make in a field where mistakes are unthinkable, and where errors led to the loss of national resources — and more importantly one's crew. Dye's stories from the heart of Mission Control explain the mysteries of flying the Shuttle — from the powerful fiery ascent to the majesty of on-orbit operations to the high-speed and critical re-entry and landing of a hundred-ton glider.
The Space Shuttles flew 135 missions. Astronauts conducted space walks, captured satellites, and docked with the Mir Space Station, bringing space into our everyday life, from GPS to satellite TV. Shuttle, Houston puts readers in his own seat at Mission Control, the hub that made humanity's leap into a new frontier possible.
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    • AudioFile Magazine
      Space history enthusiasts will relish this audio production of retired NASA flight director Paul Dye's memoir. Narrator John Pruden shares the author's awe and reverence for the agency's history, as well as the cultural and technological impacts of the shuttle program on everyday life. His grounded tone befits a man looking back on a forty-year career. Accessible writing connects listeners with serious events and scientific concepts, alongside humorous behind-the-scenes memories. Pruden subtly differentiates members of Mission Control and uses a light accent for the Russian scientists Dye worked with as part of cooperative endeavors between Russia and the U.S. throughout the 1990s. Future possibilities for space exploration and commercial partnership are highlighted. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      July 1, 2020

      With NASA and SpaceX making history in May 2020 with the first flight into orbit from American soil in a commercially built and operated American crew spacecraft, the United States has entered a new era in Space Exploration. As the U.S. embraces commercial enterprises running critical components of its space program, Dye, NASA's longest-serving flight director, assesses the successes and failures of previous missions, and reflects on the future of space exploration. Dye provides an insider view of historic events like the Columbia and the Challenger explosions as well as the United States collaborating with Russia to create an international space program. The book is filled with personal stories and recollections from several of the 39 missions that Dye has been involved in, and he continues to discuss how scientists can begin to train future leaders and inspire teams. Embedded throughout the book are lessons about the importance of hearing everyone's voice, quality assurance, and scenario planning. VERDICT Spaceflight is an inherently risky business, and Dye sheds insight into how NASA has used culture, technology, and training to mitigate this risk. This motivating book shows people succeeding at their best: smart, cooperative, innovative, and caring.--Beth Dalton, Littleton, CO

      Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Kirkus

      May 15, 2020
      A passionate look at the U.S. space shuttle program through the life's work of the longest-serving flight director in NASA's history. As with many of his peers in the space and aeronautical industries, Dye's occupational choice was inspired by SF literature and the romantic longing to live out such cosmic possibilities in real life. The author was among the earthbound heroes at NASA flight control who helped guide space shuttles through all aspects of a mission. A former scuba instructor who studied aeronautical engineering at the University of Minnesota, the author fondly recalls in scrupulous detail the highlights of his three-decade career as a top NASA flight controller. He combines folksy anecdotes (he uses the term "folks" a lot) with esoteric mechanical details to convey how these technologically remarkable yet fragile, temperamental shuttles worked--or sometimes didn't. Although Dye's impressive recall of every aspect of his job history is largely both engaging and informative, he is overly indulgent with the aeronautical shoptalk, severely testing general readers' tolerance for acronyms (a common pitfall that both space and military memoirs share). On the whole, it's the author's simple anecdotes about everyday working life at mission control that make for the most readable, entertaining sections. For instance, Dye's recounting of the 1990s Shuttle-Mir program, a famously cooperative gesture between Russia and the U.S., is an insider's look at how two countries' very different work philosophies merged to successfully complete an unprecedented mission. We also read about the unforgettable time employee negligence led to the spontaneous combustion of the office coffee maker, creating widespread panic among the caffeine-addicted mission control employees. Most insightful are Dye's reflections on the 1986 Challenger disaster and the problematic mission control culture that led to this infamously televised catastrophe. Dye's memoir is a balanced mix of moments both banal and breathtaking.

      COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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