Description:
Astronauts are not the only heroes of the space program. Most of the work has always been done by people on the ground, and since the end of the manned space program, all of it has. The Infinite Journey is the first book to add their voices: the engineers, technicians, and scientists who reach out into space with their minds and tools, even if they don't boldly go as astronauts do. Not all these supporting characters are like Apollo 13 Mission controller Gene Kranz, author of Failure Is Not an Option, but all have humanly interesting stories to tell. Journalist William Burrows has matched history, quotations from people involved in the space program at all levels, and incredibly lush and inspiring photographs. As one scientist recalls, "We presented a copy of our first images of Europa from the Galileo spacecraft to Pope John Paul II, who probably gave the most succinct summary yet of these data: 'Wow.'" And you can't blame him. Burrows's book is an excellent combination of science, human insights, and the beauty and terror of space: truly inspirational. --Mary Ellen Curtin
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