 Sky
Walking: An Astronaut's Memoir" the autobiography of shuttle astronaut
Thomas D. Jones SIGNED by Jones
A gripping first-hand account of life in space and the making of an
astronaut.
What is it like to fly the space shuttle and work on and in the
International Space Station? Veteran astronaut Tom Jones is uniquely
qualified to give the details: he flew four shuttle missions and helped to
build the ISS. From B-52 pilot during the Cold War to a Ph.D. in planetary
science, to the rigors of astronaut training, his career inevitably pointed
him toward the space shuttle.
Jones's story is the first to candidly explain the professional and
personal hardships faced by the astronauts in the aftermath of the
Challenger and Columbia tragedies. He found himself wondering if the risks
were worth it for his family. Liftoffs were especially nerve-wracking but
the missions in space were fascinating.
Jones uses his background as a scientist to explain the practical
applications of many of the shuttle's scientific missions, and describes
what it's like to work with the Russian crew building and living in the
space station. Stunning photographs illustrate his amazing journey.
After a year of training following his selection by NASA in January 1990,
Dr. Jones became an astronaut in July 1991. In 1994 he flew as a mission
specialist on successive flights of space shuttle Endeavour. First, in April
1994, he ran science operations on the "night shift" during STS-59, the
first flight of the Space Radar Laboratory (SRL-1). Then, in October 1994,
he was the payload commander on the SRL-2 mission, STS-68.
Dr. Jones next flew in late 1996 on Columbia. Mission STS-80 successfully
deployed and retrieved 2 science satellites, ORFEUS/SPAS and the Wake Shield
Facility. While helping set a Shuttle endurance record of nearly 18 days in
orbit, Dr. Jones used Columbia's robot arm to release the Wake Shield
satellite and later grapple it from orbit. His last space flight was aboard
Atlantis on STS-98, in February 2001. Dr. Jones and his crew delivered the
U.S. Destiny Laboratory Module to the Space Station, and he helped install
the Lab in a series of 3 space walks lasting over 19 hours. The successful
addition of Destiny gave the first Expedition Crew the largest space outpost
in history and marked the start of onboard scientific research at the ISS. A
veteran of four space flights, Dr. Jones logged over 52 days (1,272 hours)
in space, including 3 space walks totaling over 19 hours.
Hardbound w/dust jacket and archival sleeve, 369pp. SIGNED by Jones
who has also listed his 4 shuttle flights. 25 color photos. $26.95.
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